but I don't want Mary to lose her sail, so will
trust her with you.'

"'You'll take great care of her, Joe, and bring her back safe,' the
mother says, half laughing like; but I could see she were a little
anxious about lettin' her go alone, which had never happened before.

"'I'll take care of her, ma'am,' I says; 'you may take your oath I'll
bring her back if I comes back myself.'

"'Good-by, mamma,' the girl says as she steps on the plank; 'don't you
fidget: you know you can trust Joe; and I'll be back at half-past six
to dinner.'

"Well, sir, as we pushed off I felt somehow responsible like, and
although I'd told the boys before that one reef would be enough, I
made 'em put in another before I hoisted the sail. There warn't many
boats out, for there was more sea on than most visitors care to face;
but once fairly outside we went along through it splendid. When we got
within a mile of Fley, I asks her if we should turn, or go on for a
bit farther.

"'We shall go back as quick as we've come, shan't we, Joe?'

"'Just about the same, miss; the wind's straight on the shore.'

"'We haven't been out twenty minutes,' she says, looking at her watch;
'I'd rather go a bit farther.'

"Well, sir, we ran till we were off the brig. The wind was freshening,
and the gusts coming down strong; it was backing round rather to the
north too, and the sea was getting up.

"'I a'most think, miss, we'd better run into Filey,' I says; 'and you
could go across by the coach.'

"'But there's no danger, is there, Joe?'

"'No, miss, there aint no danger; but we shall get a ducking before we
get back; there's rain in that squall to windward.'

"'Oh, I don't care a bit for rain, Joe; and the coach won't get in
till half-past seven, and mamma would be in a dreadful fright. Oh, I'd
so much rather go on!'

"I did not say no more, but I put her about, and in another few
minutes the squall was down upon us. The rain came against us as if it
wanted to knock holes in the boat, and the wind just howled again. A
sharper squall I don't know as ever I was put in. It was so black you
couldn't have seen two boats' length. I eased off the sheet, and put
the helm up; but something went wrong, and--I don't know rightly how
it was, sir. I've thought it over hundreds and hundreds of times, and
I can't reason it out in any sort of form. But the 'sponsibility of
that young gal weighed on me, I expect, and I must somehow ha' lost my
head--I don't know,