yesterday--twenty-four hours now, sir. I started at dawn this morning,
but both wind and tide were against me, and I have been waiting here
some time. Be quick, doctor. Mon Dieu! if she should be dead!"

The poor fellow's voice faltered, and his eyes met mine imploringly. He
and I had been fast friends in my boyhood, when all my holidays were
spent in Sark, though he was some years older than I; and our friendship
was still firm and true, though it had slackened a little from absence.
I shook his hand heartily, giving it a good hard grip in token of my
unaltered friendship--a grip which he returned with his fingers of iron
till my own tingled again.

"I knew you'd come," he gasped.

"Ah, I'll go, Tardif," I said; "only I must get a snatch of something to
eat while Dr. Dobrée puts up what I shall have need of. I'll be ready in
half an hour. Go into the kitchen, and get some dinner yourself."

"Thank you, Dr. Martin," he answered, his voice still unsteady, and his
mustache quivering; "but I can eat nothing. I'll go down and have the
boat ready. You'll waste no time?"

"Not a moment," I promised.

I left my father to put up the things I should require, supposing he had
heard all the particulars of the accident from Tardif. He was inclined
to grumble a little at me for going; but I asked him what else I could
have done. As he had no answer ready to that question, I walked away to
the dining-room, where my mother and Julia were waiting; for dinner was
ready, as we dined early on Sundays on account of the servants. Julia