As soon as he thought the steamer was within hailing distance he began to shout, "Ship ahoy!" No heed was given until the boat seemed to be almost upon him, and he swam, with his pole, desperately to the left to avoid her. Then inflating his lungs he shouted, "Help, if you are men and not devils!" "Hallo there! Man overboard?" "I should say so," thundered Houghton. "Slow up, and throw me a rope." The wheels were reversed at once. A man near the bow seized a coil of rope and yelled, "Where are you?" "Here!" cried Houghton, splashing the water with his hands. The rope flew with a boatman's aim; George grasped it, and, with sailor-like dexterity, fastened the end around his body under his arms. Then laying hold of it also with his hands, he cried from the water almost under the wheel, "Pull." In a moment or two he was on deck and besieged with questions. "Boat swamped in the squall," he replied briefly. "I kept afloat on a pole till you picked me up. There was another boat that I am anxious about. I'll go up in the pilot-house and keep a weather-eye open." "Well, you're a cool one," said the captain. "I've been in the water long enough to get cool. Would you mind lending me an overcoat or some wrap?" And he escaped from the gathering crowd to the pilot-house. The vessel proved to be a little steamer which plied between the islands down the harbor and the city. "That was young Houghton," said one of the passengers. "--him!" said another. "It's a pity he and his old money-griper of a dad are not both at the bottom." Wrapped in the captain's greatcoat, George was as comfortable as his anxieties would permit. No sign of life was upon the dark waters. When the boat made her landing, he slipped out of his coat, leaped ashore, and, walking and running alternately, soon reached his father's house. Opening the door with his latch-key, he stumbled on Jube, the waiter, who backed away from him with something like a yell of fear, believing that his young master had come back in ghostly guise. "Shut up, you fool!" said George sternly. "Don't you know me?" "O Lawd, Lawd! you ain't a spook, Marse George?" "I'll box your ears in a way that will convince you--" At this moment Dr. Devoe came hastily from the sickroom, and met George on the stairs. "Thank God!" exclaimed the physician, "you have escaped. Caution, now, caution. You must not show yourself to your father till I give permission." "Has he heard? Is he very ill?" George asked, in deep anxiety. "Yes, but he'll come through all right, now that you are alive, I've had to stupefy him partially. He was told that you had been drowned. Go change your clothes, and be ready when I want you. How did you escape?" "Picked up by the steamer 'Firefly.' Did they escape?--I mean Mr. Bodine and his party." "Yes; and, as far as I can make out, left you to drown." When the physician returned Mr. Houghton roused a little, and asked, "What is the matter? Is George ill?" "No, he's better."