h
and stood right up and called for help, 'way out there to sea. I knocked
him right over into the bottom o' the bo't, getting by to catch hold of
the sheet an' untie it. He wasn't but a little man; I helped him right
up after the squall passed, and made a handsome apology to him, but he
did act kind o' offended."

"I do think they ought not to settle them landlocked folks in parishes
where they're liable to be on the water," insisted Mrs. Fosdick. "Think
of the families in our parish that was scattered all about the bay, and
what a sight o' sails you used to see, in Mr. Dimmick's day, standing
across to the mainland on a pleasant Sunday morning, filled with
church-going folks, all sure to want him some time or other! You
couldn't find no doctor that would stand up in the boat and screech if a
flaw struck her."

"Old Dr. Bennett had a beautiful sailboat, didn't he?" responded Mrs.
Todd. "And how well he used to brave the weather! Mother always said
that in time o' trouble that tall white sail used to look like an
angel's wing comin' over the sea to them that was in pain. Well, there's
a difference in gifts. Mr. Dimmick was not without light."

"'Twas light o' the moon, then," snapped Mrs. Fosdick; "he was pompous
enough, but I never could remember a single word he said. There, go on,
Mis' Todd; I forget a great deal about that day you went to see poor
Joanna."

"I felt she saw us coming, and knew us a great way off; yes, I seemed to
feel it within me," said our friend, laying down her knitting. "I kept
my seat, and took the bo't inshore without saying a word; there was a
short channel that I was sure Mr. Dimmick wasn't acquainted with, and
the tide was very low. She never came out to warn us off nor anything,
and I thought, as I hauled the bo't up on a wave and let the Reverend
Mr. Dimmick step out, that it was somethin' gained to be safe ashore.
There was a little smoke out o' the chimney o' Joanna's house, and it
did look sort of homelike and pleasant with wild mornin'-glory vines
trained up; an' there was a plot o' flowers under the front window,
portulacas and things. I believe she'd made a garden once, when she was
stopping there with her father, and some things must have seeded in. It
looked as if she might have gone over to the other side of the island.
'Twas neat and pretty all about the house, and a lovely day in July.
We walked up from the beach together very sedate, and I felt for poor
Nathan's little pi