and saw that she was
trembling--not violently, but in a subdued, helpless sort of a way
which was pathetic in its very causelessness.

"Take her up, Pedro," he ordered; and before she could object, the
good-natured giant had borne her in three strides through the dreaded
region, and set her down safely upon the ridge. She followed them
humbly now, along the safe path, trying to step firmly, and walk with
her head up, as Keith had directed. Carrington had already forgotten
her again, and even Keith was eagerly looking ahead for the first
glimpse of green.

"There is something singularly fascinating in the stretch of a salt
marsh," he said. "Its level has such a far sweep as you stand and gaze
across it, and you have a dreamy feeling that there is no end to it.
The stiff drenched grasses hold the salt which the tide brings in twice
a day, and you inhale that fresh, strong, briny odor, the rank, salt,
invigorating smell of the sea; the breeze that blows across has a tang
to it like the snap of a whip lash across your face, bringing the blood
to the surface, and rousing you to a quicker pace."

"Ha!" said Carrington; "there it is. Don't you see the green? A little
further on, you will see the mast of the boat."

"That is all that is wanted," said Keith. "A salt marsh is not complete
without a boat tilted up aground somewhere, with its slender dark mast
outlined against the sky. A boat sailing along in a commonplace way
would blight the whole thing; what we want is an abandoned craft, aged
and deserted, aground down the marsh with only its mast rising above
the green."

"_Bien!_ there it is," said Carrington; "and now the question is, how
to get to it."

"You two giants will have to go alone," said Keith, finding a
comfortable seat. "I see a mile or two of tall wading before us, and up
to your shoulders is over my head. I went duck-shooting with that man
last year, senora. 'Come on,' he cried--'splendid sport ahead, old
fellow; come on.'

"'Is it deep?' I asked from behind. I was already up to my knees, and
could not see bottom, the water was so dark.

"'Oh no, not at all; just right,' he answered, striding ahead. 'Come
on.'

"I came; and went in up to my eyes."

But the senora did not smile.

"You know Carrington is taller than I am," explained Keith, amused by
the novelty of seeing his own stories fall flat in dead failure.

"Is he?" said the Sister vaguely.

It was evident that she had not observed wheth