Danny stood by with amazement written on his face. Rising to his feet, Christian bore his burden to the boat, and called on Danny to push off and away. The lad did so without a word. He felt as if something was choking him, and he could not speak. Christian stripped off his coat and wrapped it about the child. Presently the little one's eyes opened, and she whispered, "How cold!" and cried piteously. When the tears had ceased to flow, but still stood in big drops on the little face, Ruby looked up at Christian and then toward Danny, where he sculled at the stern. "She wants to go to you," said Christian, after a pause, and with a great gulp in his throat. Danny dropped the oar and lifted the child very tenderly in his big horny hands. "Ruby ven, Ruby ven," he whispered hoarsely, and the little one put her arms about his neck and drew down his head to kiss him. Christian turned his own head aside in agony. "Mercy, mercy, have mercy!" he cried, with his eyes toward the sky. "What have I lost! What love have I lost!" He took the oars, and with head bent he pulled in silence toward the town. When they got there he took the little one again in his arms and carried her to the cottage on the "brew." Mona had newly returned from a fruitless search. She and her mother stood together with anxious faces as Christian, bearing the child, entered the cottage and stopped in the middle of the floor. Danny Fayle was behind him. There was a moment's silence. At length Christian said, huskily, "We found her in the Poolvash, cut off by the tide." No one spoke. Mona took Ruby out of his arms and sat with her before the fire. Christian stepped to the back of the chair and looked down into the child's eyes, now wet with fresh tears. Mrs. Cregeen gazed into his face. Not a word was said to him. He took up his coat, turned aside, paused for an instant at the door, and then walked away. CHAPTER XI THE SHOCKIN' POWERFUL SKAME "I've two mamas, haven't I?" cried Ruby, between her sobs, as Mona warmed her cold limbs and kissed her. Danny had sat on the settle and looked on with wondering eyes. He glanced from Mona's face to Ruby's, and from Ruby's back to Mona's. Some vague and startling idea was struggling its way into his sluggish mind. The child was warm and well in a little while, and turning to Danny, Mona said, "Is it all settled that you told me of?" "Yes," answered the lad. "Is it to be to-day?" "Ay; they're to go out at high-water with the line for cod, and not come back till it's time to do it." "Has any change been made in their arrangements?" "No, 'cept that the pier bein' swept away they're to run down the lamp that the harbor-master has stuck up on a pole." "Is it certain that Christian will not be with them?" "Ay, full certain. They came nigh to blows over it last night." "And _you_ will not go, Danny?" "No, no; when I take back the boat I'll get out of the road."