Harold was
embarrassed beyond all thinking. He tried to take away his hand, but
she clung tight to it.
'No, no!' she cried. 'You saved my child!'
Harold was a gentleman and a kindly one. He said no word till she
had risen, still holding his hand, when he said quietly:
'There! there! Don't cry. I was only too happy to be of service.
Any other man on board would have done the same. I was the nearest,
and therefore had to be first. That was all!'
Mr. Stonehouse came to him and said as he grasped Harold's hand so
hard that his fingers ached:
'I cannot thank you as I would. But you are a man and will
understand. God be good to you as you have been good to my child;
and to her mother and myself!' As he turned away Pearl, who had now
been holding close to her mother's hand, sprang to him holding up her
arms. He raised her up and kissed her. Then he placed her back in
her mother's arms.
All at once she broke down as the recollection of danger swept back
upon her. 'Oh, Mother! Mother!' she cried, with a long, low wail,
which touched every one of her hearers to the heart's core.
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