kettle which sang upon the stove. But a more intense silence reigned
within the little bed-room adjoining, where a mother knelt by the side
of her only child, holding his cold right hand in hers, and offering up
wordless prayers that he might be spared.

News of Jimmy Britt's return soon spread throughout the parish, and
everywhere there was the buzz of gossip as to the strange way he had
come home. Some thought he must have been drunk, which caused him to
fall upon the road. Others believed that he was so poor that he could
not afford to be driven from the train. But all were of one mind that
his not writing to his parents for years was most mysterious.

While all this talking was going on, Jimmy was being slowly restored to
life through the doctor's skill, and the mother's careful nursing.
Mrs. Britt now found the work of looking after two patients almost
beyond her power of endurance. It was then that Miss Arabella offered
her assistance, and proved a veritable angel of mercy in her attention
to Whyn, and doing what she could about the house.

During the weeks which followed the night of the great storm the scouts
did not meet at Headquarters. They knew that the captain had little or
no heart for anything now but the care of his son. They accordingly
met from house to house, but most often at the rectory, where Mrs.
Royal always made them welcome. They were all greatly interested in
the captain's son, of whom they had heard so much, and they longed to
see him. Nearly every day Rod went to the Anchorage to see Whyn, and
they talked very much about Jimmy. The latter, however, he never saw,
as no visitor was allowed in his room.

To the scouts the winter seemed very long, and delighted were they when