It was night when Mr. Benton aroused and found Judd sitting by his bedside.
"How came I here?" he asked.
"Well, I suppose the chief reason you are here," replied Judd, bluntly, "is because Budd, at the risk of his own life, went off in the yawl after you;" and he then briefly told the story of the man's rescue.
"Budd is all right, then?" the man asked, with some show of feeling.
"Yes, his father is with him; and when I was in there, a short time ago, he was sleeping nicely," answered Judd, shortly.
Mr. Benton said no more, and after taking the food and warm drink Judd brought him, he soon went to sleep again.
It was morning when he awoke and found his clothes nicely dried by his bedside. Dressing himself, he went out to the kitchen, where he found Mr. Boyd and the two lads. Budd, with the exception of a little paleness, seemed quite like himself.
Mr. Benton made no allusion to his rescue whatever, and the inmates of the house did not speak of it. After breakfast, however, the man turned to Judd and asked if he could be set ashore.
"Not while it storms so," replied Judd, in surprise. "A small boat couldn't live in this sea, and even with the sloop there would be a grave risk. You will have to wait until the storm is over, Mr. Benton."
The man made no reply, but Budd asked: