The ship was now so sheltered by the shoulder of the southern cape that the keen breeze yet rushing in from the sea passed hundreds of feet above her masts. There was nothing more than a tidal swell on the surface of the water, in which the heavy-laden vessel rested as in a dock. In the new and extraordinary quietude the light thud of the donkey-engine sounded with a strange distinctness, and Elsie and her companion heard Courtenay’s approaching footsteps almost as soon as he gained the deck. Instantly she ran towards him, with hands out-stretched. “Let me be the first to congratulate you,” she cried, her cheeks mantling with a rush of color and her lips quivering with excitement. “How wonderful of you to bring the ship through all those awful reefs and things! No; you must not say you have done nothing marvelous. Dr. Christobal has told me everything. Next to Providence, Captain Courtenay, we owe our lives to you.” Courtenay felt it would hurt her were he to smile at her earnestness. But he did say: “Surely it is not so very remarkable that I should do my best to safeguard the ship and such of her passengers and crew as survive last night’s ordeal.” “I know that quite well. Even I would have striven to help when my life was at stake. But the really wonderful thing is that you should have guessed an unknown track in the dark; that you should actually be able to guide a helpless ship through waters so full of dangers that it would be folly to venture in their midst in broad daylight and with full steam-power.” Then Courtenay took off his sou’wester, and bowed. “I had no idea I had such expert critics on board. Is it you, Christobal, who has followed the ship’s course so closely?” “Not I, my dear fellow. Miss Maxwell is only saying what I feel, indeed, but could not have expressed as admirably. Our silent friend, Tollemache, is the man who observes. I was so amazed when I came on deck half an hour ago that I sought him out, and he told me something of the night’s later happenings. So I took the liberty of arousing Miss Maxwell from a very sound sleep, but we thought it best not to disturb you by appearing on the bridge until you had done everything you had planned.” “I shall never understand how I came to fall asleep,” said Elsie. “I remember feeling very tired; I sat down for a moment, and that ended it. The next thing I heard was a rapping on my door, and Dr. Christobal’s voice bidding me hurry if I would see the entrance to the harbor.” The two men exchanged glances. Courtenay laughed, so pleasantly that it was good to hear. “Yet there was I up aloft, maneuvering the ship in the firm faith that Dr. Christobal was busy in the cook’s galley,” said he. “Ah, we have news for you,” cried Elsie. “One of the poor fellows who was knocked on the head during that terrible fight for the boats was the master cook himself. He is better now, and breakfast can be ready in five minutes. I’ll go and tell him.”