ect you're goin' up to your schoolhouse to pass all this
pleasant day; yes, I expect you're goin' to be dreadful busy," she said
despairingly.

"Perhaps not," said I. "Why, what's going to be the matter with you,
Mrs. Todd?" For I supposed that she was tempted by the fine weather to
take one of her favorite expeditions along the shore pastures to gather
herbs and simples, and would like to have me keep the house.

"No, I don't want to go nowhere by land," she answered gayly,--"no, not
by land; but I don't know's we shall have a better day all the rest of
the summer to go out to Green Island an' see mother. I waked up early
thinkin' of her. The wind's light northeast,--'twill take us right
straight out, an' this time o' year it's liable to change round
southwest an' fetch us home pretty, 'long late in the afternoon. Yes,
it's goin' to be a good day."

"Speak to the captain and the Bowden boy, if you see anybody going by
toward the landing," said I. "We'll take the big boat."

"Oh, my sakes! now you let me do things my way," said Mrs. Todd
scornfully. "No, dear, we won't take no big bo't. I'll just git a handy
dory, an' Johnny Bowden an' me, we'll man her ourselves. I don't want no
abler bo't than a good dory, an' a nice light breeze ain't goin' to make
no sea; an' Johnny's my cousin's son,--mother'll like to have him come;
an' he'll be down to the herrin' weirs all the time we're there, anyway;
we don't want to carry no men folks havin' to be considered every minute
an' takin' up all our time. No, you let me do; we'll just slip out an'
see mother by ourselves. I guess what breakfast you'll want's about
ready now."

I had become well acquainted with Mrs. Todd as landlady, herb-gatherer,
and rustic philosopher; we had been discreet fellow-passengers once
or twice when I had sailed up the coast to a larger town than Dunnet
Landing to do some shopping; but I was yet to become acquainted with
her as a mariner. An hour later we pushed off from the landing in the
desired dory. The tide was just on the turn, beginning to fall,
and several friends and acquaintances stood along the side of the
dilapidated wharf and cheered us by their words and evident interest.
Johnny Bowden and I were both rowing in haste to get out where we could
catch the breeze and put up the small sail which lay clumsily furled
along the gunwale. Mrs. Todd sat aft, a stern and unbending lawgiver.

"You better let her drift; we'll get there 'bout as qui