"Let him go," said Barney, when he realized that the fugitive was beyond
his reach; and, rallying his crew, he retreated towards the island.

"Hurrah, Charley! You are safe," said Tony, as he waded into the water
to help him ashore.

Charles was so much exhausted when he reached the land that he could not
speak. Captain Sedley, who had observed the occurrence from his library
window, hastened down to the beach.

The penitent Zephyr, in his agony, threw himself on his knees before
him, and in piteous, broken accents besought his pardon. Captain Sedley
was deeply moved, and they all realized that "the way of the
transgressor is hard."

The sufferer was kindly conveyed to his home by Captain Sedley, and his
father and mother were too glad at his return to reproach him for his
conduct. When he had changed his clothes, and his emotion had in some
degree subsided, he confessed his errors, and solemnly promised never to
wander from the right path again. And he was in earnest; he felt all he
said in the depths of his soul. He had suffered intensely during his
transgression; and his friends were satisfied that he had not sinned
from the love of sin. He had been led away by Tim Bunker, and bitter had
been the consequences of his error. He had been punished enough,--the
sin had been its own punishment,--and his father and his club freely
forgave him. He was not a hardened boy, and it was probable that his
experience with the Rovers would prove a more salutary correction than
any penalty that could be inflicted.