afterward,--but his better self had fought the battle, conquered,
and sent him back to me.

"You all-a right?" he asked.

I managed to shape a "yes" on my lips, though I could not yet
speak.

"You sail-a de boat verr-a good-a," he said. "So good-a as a man."

A compliment from Demetrios Contos was a compliment indeed, and I
keenly appreciated it, though I could only nod my head in
acknowledgment.

We held no more conversation, for I was busy recovering and he was
busy with the boat. He ran in to the wharf at Vallejo, made the
boat fast, and helped me out. Then it was, as we both stood on the
wharf, that Charley stepped out from behind a net-rack and put his
hand on Demetrios Contos's arm.

"He saved my life, Charley," I protested; "and I don't think he
ought to be arrested."

A puzzled expression came into Charley's face, which cleared
immediately after, in a way it had when he made up his mind.

"I can't help it, lad," he said kindly. "I can't go back on my
duty, and it's plain duty to arrest him. To-day is Sunday; there
are two salmon in his boat which he caught to-day. What else can I
do?"