ishonour undergo'--"

that she could do nothing but laugh, till the sticks were fairly on the
rock. Then Faith went to laying them daintily together.

"I hope you've no objection to my making the fire," she said; "because
I like it. Only, Endecott! the matches are in the basket. Could you get
them for me? Indeed I shall want the basket too out of the boat."

Whereupon Mr. Linden--

"'The very instant I saw you, did
My heart fly to your service: there reside,
To make me slave to it; and for your sake,
Am I this patient log man'!--"

But anything less like those two last words than the way in which he
sprang into the boat, and brought the basket, and got out what she
called for, could hardly be.

"How many matches do you want?" he said, looking demurely at her as he
gave her one.

"All of them,--basket and all, Endecott. You are so patient that you do
not hear."

"And you so impatient that you do not see--'basket and all' are at your
side, fair princess.--Stand back,--it may be very well for the winds to
'blow, and crack their cheeks,' but I think it should be confined to
them." And she was laughingly held back, where she could only use her
eyes about the fire.

"That's my province," said Faith. "I think any effort to make a
princess of me, will--fail. Did Miranda pick up any wood herself?"

"You can't help being a princess if I am a prince," said Mr. Linden.

"I don't see how it follows," said Faith. "Only let me get at that
fire, and the fancy will pass away. Endecott!--it is absolutely
necessary that some wood should be put on; and I don't believe princes
know how."

"Princes," said Mr. Linden, holding her a little off with one hand,
while with the other he replenished the fire, "are especially famed for
their power of doing impossible things in desert places. And the
princess will follow--whether you can see it or not. Is that blaze
aspiring enough for you?"

"Yes, but it needs to be kept up--I want a good bed of coals."

A fine fire was on its way at last, and while waiting for it to burn
down to the desired bed of coals, the temporary prince and princess sat
down on the rock to feast their eyes in the mean time. A little past
midday, it was not the picturesque hour for another season; but now, in
the freshness of Spring, the delicate beauties of colour and light
could bear the full meridian sun and not ask for shadows to set them
off; other than the tender shade under the half-leaved