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“Hullo, Uncle Ed! We are all right. Got tired of waiting for you, so we went to sleep.”

“Stop screaming, girls, and quiet those children! Poor little Gwen is badly frightened. Get some snow, Tom, while I pick her up,” commanded the uncle, and order was soon established.

The boys were all right at once, and Ruth and Alice devoted themselves to the children, who were very cross and sleepy in spite of their fright. Gwen was herself in a moment, and so ashamed of her scare that she was glad there was no more light to betray her pale cheeks.

“I should have known you, uncle, at once, but to see a strange man startled me, and he didn’t speak, and I thought that can was a pistol,” stammered Gwen, when she had collected her wits a little.

“Why, that’s my old friend and captain, Tom May. Don’t you remember him, child? He thought you were all asleep, so crept out to tell me and let me in.”

“How did he get in himself?” asked Gwen, glad to turn the conversation.

“Found the shed door open, and surprised the camp by a flank movement. You wouldn’t do for picket duty, boys,” laughed Captain Tom, enjoying the dismay of the lads.

“Oh, thunder! I forgot to bolt it when we first went for the wood. Had to open it, the place was so plaguy dark,” muttered Bob, much disgusted.

“Where’s Pat?” asked Tony, with great presence of mind, feeling anxious to shift all blame to his broad shoulders.

Uncle Ed shook the snow from his hair and clothes, and, poking up the fire, leisurely sat down and took Gus on his knee before he replied,–“Serve out the grog, Tom, while I spin my yarn.”

Round went the can of hot coffee, and a few sips brightened up the young folks immensely, so that they listened with great interest to the tale of Pat’s mishaps.

“The scamp was half-seas over when he started, and deserves all he got. In the first place he lost his way, then tumbled overboard, and let the horses go. He floundered after them a mile or two, then lost his bearings in the storm, pitched into a ditch, broke his head, and lay there till found. The fellows carried him to a house off the road, and there he is in a nice state; for, being his countrymen, they dosed him with whiskey till he was ‘quite and aisy,’ and went to sleep, forgetting all about you, the horses, and his distracted mistress at home. The animals were stopped at the cross-roads, and there we found them after a lively cruise round the country. Then we hunted up Pat; but what with the blow and too many drops of ‘the crayther,’ his head was in a muddle, and we could get nothing out of him. So we went home again, and then your mother remembered that you had mentioned stopping here, and we fitted out a new craft and set sail, prepared for a long voyage. Your father was away, so Tom volunteered, and here we are.”

“A jolly lark! now let us go home and go to bed,” proposed Mark, with a gape.

“Isn’t it most morning?” asked Tony, who had been sleeping like a dormouse.

“Just eleven. Now pack up and let us be off. The storm is over, the moon coming out, and we shall find a good supper waiting for the loved and lost. Bear a hand, Tom, and ship this little duffer, for he’s off again.”

Uncle Ed put Gus into the captain’s arms, and, taking Rita himself, led the way to the sleigh which stood at the door. In they all bundled, and after making the house safe, off they went, feeling that they had had a pretty good time on the whole.

“I will learn cooking and courage, before I try camping out again,” resolved Gwen, as she went jingling homeward; and she kept her word.