"No, Johnny, I forbid it. Come down," Mari commanded trying to grab him, but ever the daredevil Johnny took one defiant look down at her and took another step up. "Johnny!" He looked away from her concentrating now as he had never climbed so high before.

Mari was in a quandary. She needed help she knew but she dared not take her eyes off the boy as he climbed higher still. Marilla had taken the baby downstairs to nurse and the crew were busy in the rigging. A storm was rising and the 'all hands' order had rung out shortly before which meant that no one was paying the boy any mind. "Johnny," Mari implored. "Please come down."

Overconfidence was Johnny's undoing, a rogue wave caught him off-balance as he skylarked, and his grip slipped. Though he tried to get it back he faltered, wavered, looked safe for a moment then dropped. Mari would never forget the sight of the small boy falling to the waves, eyes wide open in shock and his distinctive blue coat rising up against his back for the merest moment until he dropped from sight below the side of the ship.

Charles Hayford was aloft. Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement and the resultant small splash. Without hesitation he let go of his spar and dived down to save whomever had fallen, unaware at first who it was. It was only when he had pulled the body up that he realised. Just the merest slip of humanity, but oh so important. He was just able to pull the boy out of the water and hold his head up. Johnny was unconscious, head lolling against Hayford's neck. Hayford got his bearings and looked up to see the ship sailing off already several hundred yards away and getting smaller by the second. "Fuck," he swore loudly. "You fucking idiot."

Below decks Susanna was just finishing her lunch, her sleepy head nodding towards Marilla's chest. She would suck one or twice, nod off momentarily and suck again. She was teething and it had been a hard night so both she and her mother were exhausted. Marilla was half tempted to lie down next to the baby; but a sudden shout shook her. Laying the child in her basket, Marilla covered herself up quickly as she made her way topside.

Her blood ran cold when they told her the news. Her boy, her boy had gone. She sank to her knees unable to process the information. "I'm so sorry, Aunt Marilla," Mari said. "I tried to stop him, but…" Marilla barely heard her at first but then her voice penetrated, and she gripped the girl's forearm tightly. "What happened? how could you let this occur? You fool of a girl."

"Aunt Marilla, I'm so sorry, I tried, I tried to get him to come down, but he ignored me. I can't climb - these skirts," Mari shook them angrily, tears springing to her eyes in frustration and sorrow.

Around them all was movement as John directed the crew to tack to port and lower a lifeboat. Time was of the essence. Not only was he worried for his boy and the crewman in the drink, but the storm was brewing. Rising wind whipping slack ropes and sails into a frenzy.

Gilbert left the crew at a quick murmur from his father, "we've got this, see to your mother." Gilbert knelt down by her side. She collapsed into his arms and together they prayed and watched the men at their work taking no notice of the way the wind blew their hair about.

A rowboat was lowered with four men in it including John. Together they rowed away from the ship, the rising seas making their job difficult. Gilbert and Mari helped Marilla to her feet and holding Jacob's hand tightly she and they hung onto the side of the ship watching the small boat rowing steadily through the rising sea, disappearing at times but valiantly cresting the next wave.

Hayford was beginning to lose heart. He'd trodden water for as long as he could muster in the freezing cold sea, but he had all but given up hope. A strange lassitude overcame him, and he longed to let go, but somehow something kept him thrashing in the water trying to keep them both from sinking. Still it was just a matter of moments; just as he felt he had to relinquish his fight he found himself being lifted up out of the sea and hauled into the rowboat still grasping the boy, unwilling to give up his grip. "Got to save…" he muttered before he lost consciousness.

Everyone was on hand to bring man and boy back on deck. Honestly it looked as though the rescuers had reached them too late, but much to everyone's surprise Hayford coughed and spluttered. The Mate turned his head to one side to let the water drain out and he was carried down below to be put to bed.

No such miracle occurred for Johnny and they all feared for his life, but a crewmember knelt by his side and put a mirror to his blue lips and from this it was ascertained that he breathed yet. This brought forth a new flurry of movement as he too was carried away, his mother following.

John was in a quandary, he had to ready the ship against the storm, but his boy needed him. "I've got this sir," the Mate clapped his hand on John's shoulder. John hesitated, swaying back and forth in his distress. "John!" The use of his first name brought John to his senses and with one brief grateful glance at the Mate he rushed down to the cabin. Once the family had disappeared the Mate shifted his attention and yelled out new orders to get the sails furled and the hatches battened.

They laid Johnny onto the bed. Marilla and Mari worked effectively together stripping and washing him in warm water and then dressing him in his nightgown. Marilla tucked him up into the bed and lay down next to him while the others hovered nearby. Only the gentle rise and fall of the blankets informed them that he still lived.

Marilla spent a restless night. The tumult of the storm outside unheeded for once as she and John prayed to the Lord that Johnny might be spared. John took Mari aside and told her that it wasn't her fault, "it was an accident, no more. Please don't be upset. Gilbert says she might have said some things she didn't mean while she was distressed. Just know it wasn't your fault, there was nothing you could have done beyond what you did. You alerted us, that's all you could have done," he comforted the grief-stricken girl as she sobbed on his shoulder. "I'm going to have to get you to care for the younger children until…" Mari nodded, she understood the gravity of the situation.

Feeling dreadful she took Jacob and the baby with her. "Is he gonna be all right?" Jacob pulled against her arm desperate to get back to his brother."

"I pray he will be," Mari answered.

"But will he? He's gotta be. Tell me Mari, tell me!" Jacob's voice rose in pitch.

"Hush now, let's leave your mother to tend to him, he's very sick. Let's go and see if Isaiah has something for us and we'll have a picnic in the cabin." Mari was desperate to divert Jacob, food usually helped.

Marilla looked up when Hayford appeared in the doorway blocking the light. "I jus I just wanted to see how he was doin, Missus?" he said shyly. Marilla scrambled to her feet and embraced her son's saviour tightly. "He's still asleep," she said, "but we have you to thank for that Mr Hayford. If it weren't for your bravery, he'd …" she stopped there unable to continue and backed away. "Anyway, I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart, we all owe you a debt of gratitude, Hayford.

A few days later Marilla's fervent prayers to her merciful God were answered and Johnny stirred at last. John came rushing in, his feet squeaking as he rounded the corner nearly falling over in his haste. He knelt down on the floor next to the bed and took Johnny's small hand in his own and kissed it gently. "How are you son?" he said raggedly, it had been a long week. Johnny was silent. "He hasn't spoken yet," Marilla said, "but he's awake that's the main thing isn't it darling, you've awoken."

Some days later Johnny had recovered some of his strength, spending longer and longer each day awake but they still had yet to hear his sweet voice. John took Marilla's arm and led her away from the bedside to murmur, "do you think he's quite right?"

"What are you saying John?"

"It's just you hear things, that people who suffer his sort of injury have problems later. It happens, I'm just saying be prepared," he said to her look of consternation. "He may have a long road ahead of him, that's all I'm saying."

"No, I refuse to believe it. We just have to wait, he's getting better every day, there's nothing wrong with him. I won't have you writing him off already."

"Marilla," John said possibly more sharply than he meant to, "I'm not writing him off. But look he hasn't spoken yet. Don't tell me you're not worried? When we get to Virginia, I want to take him to a doctor, which of course we should do in any case."

"I don't think that's necessary is it?" replied Marilla. Deep down she was worried that if a doctor said what she was thinking it might make it come true. Keeping those fears silent kept Johnny safe. Somehow the last thing she needed was John's voice of reason, however much it made sense.

After a restless night Johnny vomited his breakfast over his blankets. It was too much, Marilla sank to her knees sobbing. Mari who had just ducked out found her there and went to fetch John.

A couple of commands later and Marilla found herself being carried bodily up onto deck beside the wheel. Setting her down on a bench John said, "you've been down there by his side for days, come and get some fresh air. Mari will keep a close eye on him, and I've told Gilbert to mind the other two." Marilla made as if to get up, but John pressed her back down. "Captain's orders," he said gently but firmly. "You need a break. Just enjoy yourself for a while, feel the sun and the wind."

John could see a brief internal struggle play across her face but to his relief she capitulated. He understood her actions, of course he did, but he had to look after her too. With a quick click of his fingers and glance the cabin boy trotted down to the galley reappearing shortly after with a mug of coffee which he gave to the captain silently and which John offered to Marilla after touching her lightly on the shoulder.

She sipped her coffee in the sunshine trying not to fret. It had been so long she had nearly forgotten how it felt to be outside. Tears came to her eyes in guilt. It was the sort of day that Johnny had always loved. He had such a sense of curiosity and he should have been wearying her with endless questions not laying in his bed. "I know," murmured John. "I know. Sit easy for a while." Marilla sighed and let herself drift off, lulled by the ship's movement. Catching up with ship matters John forgot about her for a while but was pleased later to see her head on her shoulders as a stray lock of hair blew around her head unheeded.

The weather was mild, and he was able to let her sleep next to him for the next few hours. At one point he stuck his head below to check that Mari was coping. She had enlisted the help of a crewman to help her with Johnny's bedding which he congratulated her upon, and Johnny was now resting peacefully looking angelic in his bed. Like Marilla John was worried for his son, but right now there was little else that they could do.