"It got to be eleven o'clock. Tide was full at twelve. I was a pretty
good candidate for the crazy house by this time. I'd listened till my
ear-drums felt slack, like they needed reefing. And then at last I heard
her coming--CHUFF-chuff! CHUFF-chuff! CHUFF-chuff!

"And HOW she did come! She walked up abreast of me, went past me, a
hundred yards or so off. Thinks I: 'It's all up. He's going to make it.'

"And then, all at once, the 'chuff-chuff-ing' stopped. Started up
and stopped again. I gave a hurrah, in my mind, pulled the skiff up
alongside and jumped into her, taking the lantern with me, under my
coat. Then I set the light between my feet, picked up the oars and
started rowing.

"I rowed quiet as I could, but he heard me 'fore I got to him. I heard
a scrambling noise off ahead, and then a shaky voice hollers: 'Hello!
who's that?'

"'It's me,' says I, rowing harder'n ever. 'Who are you? What's the row?'

"There was more scrambling and a slam, like a door shutting. In another
two minutes I was alongside the launch and held up my lantern. Allie was
there, fussing with his engine. And he was all alone.

"Alone he was, I say, fur's a body could see, but he was mighty shaky
and frightened. Also, 'side of him, on the cushions, was a girl's
jacket, and I thought I'd seen that jacket afore.

"'Hello!' says I. 'Is that you, Mr. Davidson? Thought you'd gone to
Boston?'