ars. Laying her hand on Frederic's arm, she said, in a trembling
voice, "Now, Frederic, be sure and not go into any danger."

He laughed, as young folks do always at the fears of their elders, and
then helped her back to her arm-chair.

Rocky Point Village was ten miles off. We were going by water,--that way
being the shortest,--about twenty of us in a little pinky. We kept quite
close to the land, and arrived there about midnight. The moon was just
rising. People were collected from all the villages about. All were
watching out for boats from the ship, but none came, and in the morning
no ship was to be seen, even from the tall steeple. So it proved a false
alarm.

After breakfast, some of the young men proposed going to Pine Island to
eat up our good things, and to fill our baskets with beach-plums. This
took up all the day.

We had to wait for the tide, so that, by the time we hoisted sail, it
was late in the evening. The wind blew fresh, and was dead ahead; and
when we had been an hour or two on our course, there was not one aboard
but would have been glad to feel the solid land beneath his feet. The
little pinky, her sails close reefed, tossed up and down, like an
egg-shell. Black clouds spread over the sky, threatening rain and
tempest.

Then it was that this terrible calamity took place. I was holding by the
rail, comparing in my mind things outward with things internal. The
soul, too, encountered storms and darkness.

All at once I perceived that the boom was swinging over, and sprang to
get out of the way. As I sprang, I heard a cry, and caught sight of a
man pitching headlong into the water.

"Walter! Walter!" That was the cry, and then I knew it to be Frederic,
and took a great leap into the darkness.

I strove to shout, but the water rushed into my mouth and ears, and I
could make no sound. Once more I heard that cry,--"Walter! Walter!"--but
fainter this time, and by it I knew I should never reach him. Still,
when the next wave lifted me high, I gathered all my strength, and
shouted, "Frederic, wait!"

The boat had been lowered, and that shout saved my own worthless life.
But Frederic's was gone forever. O the dreadful words!

They dragged me into the boat, with scarce the breath of life left in
me. The vessel lay to, and boats were kept out till morning. But our
Frederic was seen no more. And he was the very best of us all.

O what a night! I was watched. They would not let me come near the rai