cess,' I'm afraid, mother," said Notely, with one of those sighs
that was like a wayward note on his violin; "it 's a diviner thing,
however, you know, to have in you the capacity for failure."

"You are as remarkable a mixture of barbarism and sentiment as your
shanty," sneered Mrs. Garrison, looking about. "Do you speak in the
Basin 'meetings'?"

"No," said Notely. "I ought to. Think of what I have had, and their
deprivations. But there 's always something comes up so d--d funny!"

Mrs. Garrison smiled sympathetically now. "O Notely, think of the
Langhams, and Grace even willing to show her preference for you,
decorously, of course, but we all know."

Notely grabbed his pipe hard and shook his head.

"Why?" said his mother again, sharply. "I am sure Miss Langham is
nearly as boisterous and in as rude health as the fisher girl. I have
even known her to make important endearing lapses in grammar."

Notely was silent.

"Do you think, after a life-struggle to earn a place in society, it is
filial and generous on your part, for the sake of a fisher sweetheart,
to be willing to sink your family back again into skins and Gothicism?"

"Yes," said the young man, a hurricane in his blue eyes, which his
strong hands gripped back.

"Very well; if you so elect, go back then, and be a common fisherman;
but you shall have no countenance of mine."

"Shouldn't wonder if it would be a good thing. With the health I have,
give me leisure and plenty of money, and I'm always certain to break
the traces and make a run. Common fisherman it is." But he stood out
bravely at the same time in an extravagant new yachting costume, for he
was going by appointment to meet his sweetheart.

"You might help her up, mother--socially, that is; she needs no other
help."

"Never!"

Notely lifted his cap to his mother--the reproach in his eyes was as
dog-like as if he had not just graduated from the schools--and walked
away.

She looked after him, a scornful sweet smile curving her lips. As the
apple of her eye she loved him; it is necessary but hard to be elevated.

Notely put up sail and skirted the shore with his boat till he came to
the waters of the Basin. Then he looked out eagerly, but Vesty was not
on the banks waiting.

"Was there ever a Basin known to be on time?" he muttered, smiling and
flushing too. He was always jealous of her.

He made fast his boat and sprang with light steps over the sea-wall.

Here was a