looking, or it
might be one that was not bound for Cliffmore, but instead would go
farther out to sea.

There was one sail on which the bright sunlight lingered, making it
whiter than those of the other vessels, so that it was easier for her
to watch that one than either of the others.

"Why! It has turned about!" she cried, "and now, oh now, I see other
masts and other sails! It's a ship! It's a ship! Oh, is it the one
that Pa longs to see?"

She would gladly have stood watching until that vessel sailed into
Cliffmore, but a long, silvery note from the horn called her in to
breakfast.

Her eyes were bright, and her cheeks pink with excitement, and the
Captain looking across the table, sighed as he thought of all that he
had planned to do with the money that he had so confidently expected.
He had built rosy air castles, had dreamed of comforts, and pleasures
for the two dear ones who now sat opposite him at the table, the one
full of hope, and cheer, the other trying to summon cheer that she
did not feel, in order to comfort him. The forenoon passed swiftly,
because the three were busy.

Captain Seaford was making some repairs that the gale had made
necessary. Indoors Mrs. Seaford had needed the help of little Sprite
in some work that she was doing, and when the noon hour came they
could hardly believe the clock.

Sprite, usually eager to be out of doors, kept close at her mother's
side, pulling bastings from the garments that she was making.

Sometimes she paused to look from the window, then again she would
busy herself with the bastings, and after a time, Mrs. Seaford,
looking up, noticed with what rapt attention Sprite was gazing out at
the ocean.

"What is it, Sprite?" she asked. "Are you thinking of the dream vessel
that you told us about last evening?"

"I can't help thinking of it," Sprite answered, "and truly I do
believe the dream meant good luck." "I'd not wish you to believe very
strongly in dreams," Mrs. Seaford said, "but I'll confess that ever
since you told us that dream, I've been thinking of it, and, in some
way, it has given me hope."

The afternoon was spent much as the forenoon had been, save that the
bastings were all out of the new garments, and while Mrs. Seaford
still plied her needle, Sprite picked up the book of fairy tales, and
tried to read.

There was one story that attracted her attention because its
illustration showed a great ship, of ancient design. The name of the
stor