"She thinks she sees her husband in that boat," Leigh said. "Pray try and get her round, before it comes up. I think it must be he; but if it should not be, we will take her below, directly we are sure. It will be a terrible blow to her to be disappointed, now; but possibly they may have news of him, and that would be almost as good as his being here." "She could not have recognized him, at this distance," Monsieur Flambard said. "No, she did not; but he would have recognized her. At least, he must have seen that there was a woman standing upon the rail, watching them; and it was hardly likely that, coming in his own boat, it should be anyone but her. I don't see why anyone else should have waved his arms, suddenly, in the way that he did." He took the bucket of water from Lefaux's hands. "We think it is Captain Martin," he said. "Run up the shrouds and take a look through the glass." Then, taking a double handful of water, he dashed it into his sister's face. "But, monsieur--" Madame Flambard began to remonstrate. "Oh, it does not matter about her being wet a bit," Leigh said. "The great thing is to bring her round. "There, she is opening her eyes. I never saw her faint before. She is not that sort." At this moment, there was a joyous shout from the skipper: "It is Captain Martin, himself! Hurrah, boys! It is the captain." The crew broke into joyous shouts. "It is Jean, Patsey," Leigh said, sharply. "Thank God, it is he. "Steady, steady!" he added, as his sister suddenly sat up, and held out her arms to be lifted to her feet. "Are you all right, dear? He will not be alongside for some little time. Don't try to get up for a minute or two." As Madame Flambard supported her, he ran down into the cabin, poured out a little brandy and water, and ran upstairs again with the glass. "There, dear, drink this. You must be strong enough to greet him, as he comes alongside." She drank it up, and then he helped her to her feet. She stood leaning on the rail, but unable to see the boat through her tears. Leigh ran up a few of the ratlines and waved his cap and, two or three minutes later, the whole crew, clustered along the side, raised a loud cheer as the boat came near. Patsey held out her arms to Jean, who had, after his first eager signal, dropped back into his seat; and sat there, with his face covered in his hands, until within two or three hundred yards of the lugger. Then he had stood up again. He waved his cap in reply to the cheers of the crew, but his eyes were fixed upon Patsey. [Illustration: For two or three minutes, husband and wife stood together.] As the boat came alongside he sprang on to the channel, swung himself over the rail, Patsey falling into his arms as his feet touched the deck. The others all drew back and, for two or three minutes, husband and wife stood together. Then Jean, placing Patsey in a chair, turned and embraced Leigh warmly.