Then there was silence; both boys felt that the place whereon they knelt was holy ground, and neither could bear to break the solemn hush. Hand in hand, and nearer in heart than they had ever been before, the lads went back to the cart.
The matron of the children's ward in the hospital at Granville, seeing Marie's great anxiety, had allowed her to have access to the child whenever she liked. And when the boys returned to the house-waggon, they found that she had not yet got back from her evening visit.
In almost unbearable suspense they sat there on the short turf, waiting for the news which they so dreaded and yet longed for. Not a word had been spoken between them as yet. Tad was seated leaning eagerly forward to catch the first glimpse of Marie on her way home. Phil lay at full length, as though exhausted, his pale face upturned, his eyes closed. Suddenly he sat up, his eyes radiant in the moonlight, a smile upon his lips.
"He heard us, Tad! He heard us!" whispered the boy. "It's all right! Hark! There she comes!"
Tad listened, and heard a light, quick step speeding along, joyful relief in every footfall. II was Marie returning. Both lads sprang to their feet, and ran to meet her.
"All is well, thank God!" cried the woman as she saw them. "The doctors say he will live."
And she passed on to the van to awaken her mother with the joyful tidings, while the boys, left together, crept away, and from glad hearts sent up to heaven the voice of praise and thanksgiving.
With the young, recovery is often a very rapid thing, and that of Marie's adopted child was no exception to this rule.
By the time the "Stormy Petrel" returned to Granville, the little one was well enough to be out for hours in the warm, bright sun, and to bear the voyage home.
Jacques and Sophie would have been glad to keep Phil with them always, for he had greatly endeared himself to them by his unselfishness and gentle ways. But Tad and he could not bear to be parted, and Jeremiah Jackson had held out a hope to the boys that he might give them both a berth on board of his vessel, if they found, on their return to England, that they could find nothing better to do.