In an instant, I reached the top of the stairs, and in another instant I rushed below.
There sat my wife and our boarder, one on each side of the dining-room table, complacently playing checkers! My sudden entrance startled them.

My appearance startled them still more.
Euphemia sprang to her feet and tottered toward me.
"Mercy!" she exclaimed; "has anything happened ?" "Happened!" I gasped.
"Look here," cried the boarder, clutching me by the arm, "what a condition you're in.

Did you fall in ?" "Fall in!" said I.
Euphemia and the boarder looked at each other.

I looked at them.

Then I opened my mouth in earnest.
"I suppose you don't know," I yelled, "that you have drifted away!" "By George!" cried the boarder, and in two bounds he was on deck.
Dirty as I was, Euphemia fell into my arms.