"God forgive me!" he cried. "Take my head in your arms, mother, as you used to do. Nobody has loved me as you did. Mother! mother!"
Phebe Trull did not speak one word. She drew her son's head close into her trembling old arms, and held it there motionless. It was an old way she had of caressing him.
Doctor Dennis drew the eager, wondering crowd away from them.
"I don't understand," said Doctor Bowdler, excitedly.
"I do," said his niece, and, sitting down in the sand, looked out steadfastly to sea.——
Bow-legged Phil drove the anchor into the beach, and pulled it idly out again.
"I've some 'ut here for you, Phil," said Joe, gravely. "The water washed it up."
The fellow's teeth chattered as he took it.
"Well, ye know what it is?" fiercely. "Only a bit of a Scotch cap,"—holding it up on his fist. "I bought it down at Port Monmouth, Saturday, for him. I was a-goin' to take him home this week up to the old folks in Connecticut. I kin take that instead, an' tell 'em whar our Benny is."
"That's so," said Joe, his eye twinkling as he looked over Phil's shoulder.