"Yes; Leander brought him, for fun, he said; he wanted to find out if Devil had any sea-legs. The crow perched on the back of a chair and seemed to go to sleep. I suppose he has wakened now." "I don't know what we shall do with him." "Let him loose before we leave the boat." "But Aunt Letitia--they are attached to him." "He will find his way home. Don't you know Lee has been drilling him,--taking him away and letting him go back, and tying a note to his leg? You need not fear; Devil knows enough." At this moment the crow appeared in the narrow doorway, a ray of light striking him and bringing out his form in a curious, uncanny way. He made a harsh noise, lifting one foot as he did so, and looking first at Lawrence and then at Prudence. The girl held out her hand and exclaimed: "Oh, you dear Devil, what are you thinking when you look like that?" Her light tone relieved the tension which both had been feeling. The crow hopped forward towards Prudence's hand. "What if we tie a note to him?" she asked. "Don't you think we might do that?" Before Lawrence could reply, there was a loud shout close to them and above them--a sound of men swearing--a blow on the _Vireo_--a rush of black waters--another sound as of the coming together of heaven and earth--in the midst of it all a strange cry from the crow. Lawrence had caught Prudence in his arms. Presently he came to his senses and knew clearly that he was in the water, that Prudence was floating easily on his arm, that the _Vireo_ had been run into and perhaps destroyed. "Prudence," he said, quickly, "I'm sure they'll pick us up." "Yes," she answered, quite calmly, "I'm sure they will." It was a coastwise steamer, and almost immediately they saw her black bulk a few rods away; and then a light fell on the water from a boat near, and a man shouted. Lawrence raised his own voice in reply. [Illustration: "'I BORE YOU SO,' SHE SAID."] CHAPTER VIII. ON BOARD THE SCYTHIA. The two were lifted into the boat. They were shivering in the wind, but their eyes were on fire with the excitement of the last two hours. "Don't take us to that steamer," said Lawrence to one of the men who was rowing; "put us on board something that will carry us to the land. We must be in Boston to-morrow. Must,--do you hear?" The young man spoke imperatively. He was possessed by an imperious longing to get to a clergyman, that he and Prudence might be married directly; and they must embark on the _Scythia_. That was the one feasible thing to do,--the one thing now to which he would bend all his energies. He was burning to get to the shore. He thought he could almost attempt to swim there,--anything, rather than the perplexities and delays which would come if they were obliged to go on board that coastwise steamer. "I can't do it, you know. I can't do it," answered the man, "'less we happen to come upon somethin'. There's the steamer hove to 'n' waitin'. No, I don't see how it can be done."