t. You girls and women don't know your power. Why,
Mary, you are a living gospel. You have always had a strange power over
us boys. You never talked religion much, but I have seen high fellows
come away from being with you as still and quite as one feels when one
goes into a church. I can't understand all the hang of predestination,
and moral ability, and natural ability, and God's efficiency, and man's
agency, which Dr. H. is so engaged about; but I can understand _you_,
_you_ can do me good!"

"Oh, James, can I?"

"Mary, I'm going to confess my sins. I saw, that, somehow or other, the
wind was against me in Aunt Katy's quarter, and you know we fellows who
take up the world in both fists don't like to be beat. If there's
opposition, it sets us on. Now I confess I never did care much about
religion, but I thought, without being really a hypocrite, I'd just let
you try to save my soul for the sake of getting you; for there's nothing
surer to hook a woman than trying to save a fellow's soul. It's a
dead-shot, generally, that. Now our ship sails to-night, and I thought
I'd just come across this path in the orchard to speak to you. You know
I used always to bring you peaches and juneatings across this way, and
once I brought you a ribbon."

"Yes, I've got it yet, James."

"Well, now, Mary, all this seems mean to me, mean, to try and trick and
snare you, who are so much too good for me. I felt very proud this
morning that I was to go out first mate this time, and that I should
command a ship next voyage. I meant to have asked you for a promise, but
I don't. Only, Mary, just give me your little Bible, and I'll promise to
read it all through soberly, and see what it all comes to. And pray for
me; and if, while I'm gone, a good man comes who loves you, and is
worthy of you, why, take him, Mary,--that's my advice."

"James, I am not thinking of any such things; I don't ever mean to be
married. And I'm glad you don't ask me for any promise,--because it
would be wrong to give it; mother don't even like me to be much with
you. But I'm sure all I have said to you to-day is right; I shall tell
her exactly all I have said."

"If Aunt Katy knew what things we fellows are pitched into, who take the
world headforemost, she wouldn't be so selfish. Mary, you girls and
women don't know the world you live in; you ought to be pure and good:
you are not as we are. You don't know what men, what women--no, they're
not women!--what creatur