“Dead!  Is my boy dead?” she sobbed.  “Twice we have been robbed.  Once, so many years ago, when our first-born was taken by the cruel sea, and now—­”

She had spoken so hurriedly and with such an abandon of despair that Allan Dilke had failed in trying to calm her.

“The boy is not dead,” said Shaky.  “See, he is opening his eyes.  He is only exhausted.”

The mother fainted from excess of joy at this, and, when she had recovered consciousness, Jason was sitting up.

In the midst of their tears and caresses, Shaky spoke again.

“It may not be a proper time to say what I am about to, but something urges me on.  Can you bear a revelation?”

“We can bear anything now,” replied Allan Dilke.  “Our boy is restored to us.”

“You lost another child, did you not?” queried Shaky.

Allan Dilke made answer slowly: 

“We did, years ago.  But why refer to it now?”

“Because the boy is not dead,” responded Shaky.  “This is your son!”

As he said this, he drew Arno toward them.  The boy met the eyes of Allan Dilke unflinchingly, while Jason exclaimed, joyously: 

“Good, good, good!  Then we won’t be parted.”

“Is this true?” asked Mr. Dilke, gravely.  “Can you prove that he is my son?”

“As for proof,” replied Shaky, “I had the honor of helping to steal him away myself more than fifteen years ago, though I did it unwittingly.  You remember Bart Loring—­that is my real name—­and Martin Hoffman and his wife Judith, the deaf mute?  They stand before you.  We have ample proof.”

“And, if I may ask the question, Mr. Loring, what prompted you to commit this deed?  Who was the instigator?”

Allan Dilke spoke these words slowly, like one in a dream; but the answer of Shaky, or Bart Loring, came promptly: 

“Your brother, Arnold Dilke.  He it was who kidnapped the boy I have the happiness of returning to you to-night.  I was a sailor at that time on board your brother’s vessel, and did not know till afterward who the child was.  I also learned later that you were robbed of a considerable sum of money at the same time, though I had no hand in this.  Fear of being implicated in the robbery kept me silent, and I left this part of the country shortly after.  I prospered, but thoughts of the great wrong done you haunted me continually, and when I returned, a few months ago, I determined to right this matter at the first opportunity, if it could be done.  At this time I little thought he had stolen your second child, and it was only by the merest chance that I met your brother on the steamer.  From that moment I entered into the matter heart and soul, and have the pleasure of restoring two boys, instead of one.”

“And where is this loyal brother of mine, who came to me so repentant a few years ago and begged for an opportunity to retrieve a wasted life?” asked Allan Dilke, standing pale and erect, not noticing that his wife had sunk down on the sofa beside Jason, and that one of her hands was clasped in both those of Arno.