know my opinion of sailing, and you
won't grieve me, I hope, by going.' I might have told him, but I did
not, that I did not like the lads he was going with, but I knew that
would only make him angry, and do no good just as his heart was set upon
a frolic with them, so I said nought of that, but I tried to win him,
(that's my way with the young ones,) though I failed this time; go he
would, and he would have gone, let me have been as angry as you please.
But I have this comfort, that no sharp words passed my lips that day,
and no bitter ones his. I saw he was set on the frolic, and I hoped no
harm would come of it. How I watched the sky that day, Miss, no mortal
knows; how I started when I saw a sea gull skim across the waves! how I
listened for the least sound of a squall! Snap was just as fidgetty
seemingly, and we kept stealing down to the beach, long before it was
likely they should be back. As I stood watching there in the evening,
where I knew they would land, I saw young Newton's mother; she pulled me
by my sleeve, anxious like, and said, 'What do you think of the weather
Joe?' 'Why, Missis,' said I, 'there is an ugly look about the sky, but I
don't wish to frighten you; please God they'll soon be home, for Bob
promised to be home early.'"

"Well, Miss, there we stood, the waves washing our feet, till it grew
dark, and then I could stand it no longer. I said to the poor mother,
'keep a good heart,' but I had little hope myself, God knows, and off I
made for Witton. Well, they had not been there, I found the grandmother
had seen nothing of them. They were picked up a day or so after, all
four of them washed up by the morning tide; their boat had drifted no
one knows where, and no one knows how it happened; but I suppose they
were driven out by the fresh breeze that sprung up, and not knowing how
to manage the sails, they were capsized."

"There they all lay. Miss, in the churchyard. It was a solemn sight, I
can tell you, to see those four coffins, side by side, in the church.
They were all strong hearty lads, and all under seventeen. I go and sit
on his grave sometimes, and spell over all I said, and all he said that
day; and glad enough I am, that I can remember neither cross word nor
cross look. Ah, my lady, I should remember it if it had been so. We
think we are good fathers and good friends to them we love while they
are alive, but as soon as we lose 'em, all the kindness we ever did them
seems little enough,