SIGNALING. 263

there, even though it be necessary to remain sitting, it
will relieve you just so much, and that is of great impor-
tance to us all.”

«We won't waste our time talking about that,” the
young captain replied. “It will be enough if your life is
saved without thinking of what you might be able to do
toward working the brig.”

Although Ben had dismissed the matter so lightly, he
was thinking very seriously of what the mate had said, for
with Mr. Bean able to move around, even though he could
perform no hard labour, the work of running the brig
would be materially lessened, so far as he was concerned.

With this thought in his mind, and the knowledge that
there was no longer any danger of suffering from thirst,
the young captain was a very cheerful companion, and
Miss Dunham was not a little surprised that he should
be able so quickly to throw off the cares which had
beset him.

“You are feeling decidedly better than when I left the
deck last night,” she said, as he gave proof of his light-
ness of heart by laughing at a mistake which old Eliphalet
made in serving the food.

« And, indeed, I have good cause to be. In the first
place I am sitting opposite the dearest little woman in the
world, whom I have good reason to believe has a certain
amount of affection for this graduate from the forecastle.
Then again, we accomplished in two or three hours, with-
out labour, all that could have been done by running into
Ascension, and our invalid is getting along finely. The