Nearer and nearer came the pretty boat, skimming its way through the water like a white-winged sea-bird. It was manned by sailors in uniform; plainly it was what Nat had said, the boat from some gentleman's yacht. "That's our boat, I do believe!" cried little Rupert, as it drew near. "Our men wear tings like that on their heads. I fink papa must have sent them to fetch me!" [Illustration: "'That's our boat, I do believe,' cried Rupert."--_Page 180._] Pat's heart beat so fast he did not know how to reply; but there was no need for him to say anything; for just at that moment the sail came fluttering down; they saw in the stern of the boat a lady and gentleman, sitting together, looking eagerly ahead; and the next moment a cry went up that awoke an answering thrill in Eileen's heart, and made the tears spring suddenly to Pat's eyes--the cry of a woman's voice-- "It is! It is! Rupert! Rupert! My own little boy!" Rupert started at the sound of that call, looked hard at the boat, and then waved his little hand joyously. "Mamma! Mamma!" he cried, and pulling Pat by the sleeve, he added, in a tone of pleasurable excitement, "That lady is my mamma, Pat, and the gentleman is my papa, and those are his sailors. I should have liked him to bring his soldiers better; but perhaps he has them on shore waiting." Pat looked as one in a dream. He could not understand it--the child's calmness in the recognition which should have filled him with ecstasy, and the evident deep emotion of the mother. Hardly had the boat touched the rock before the pretty young lady, with the sweet, sad face, had sprung out, catching at Nat's outstretched hand, and in another moment she had come flying towards them, and sinking on her knees upon the wet sea-weed, she took the little one in her arms in a clasp so close that it seemed as though she would never let him go; and Pat knew that the tears were raining down her face, and that the reason why she did not speak was that she could not for overmastering emotion. When he looked up it was to find a tall, stalwart, bronzed man standing beside them, who put his hand upon Pat's head, and said kindly-- "Well, my little man, and have you been helping to take care of our little boy for us all these days?" and Pat crimsoned to his very ears with shyness and pleasure. "We are all so very, very fond of him, sir," answered the boy shamefacedly. "Are you going to take him away from us?" He could not help asking the wistful question, and as he did so he raised his face and met the glance of a pair of very kindly, though very keen eyes fixed upon him. The question seemed half to amuse and half to surprise the gentleman, who hesitated a moment before he said-- "Don't you think that is what is our business to do, since he belongs to us, eh, little man?" "I--I suppose so, sir," answered Pat sorrowfully, "only we shall so miss him when he is gone!"