think I could do so ever since I could walk. At least, I certainly do
not remember the time when I could not swim," said the lady, laughingly.

"What a wonder you are--in everything!" exclaimed the lover-bridegroom,
in a rapture of admiration.

"No wonder at all. I was brought up on the water-side, and was always a
sort of amphibious little creature, as often in the water as out of it.
Come, now, will you hire a boat to please me?"

"Of course! I would do anything in the world to please you, my angel!"

"Then engage that little pea-green boat. It is a nice one," she said,
pointing to a frail skiff moored near them.

"That, my dearest Mary? Why, that is a mere egg-shell! It could not live
in rough water. And if this gentle breeze should rise into a wind--"

"Are you afraid?" she inquired, with provoking sarcasm.

"I say again not for myself, but for you."

"And I say again that there can be no ground of fear for me. I say again
I can row like a squaw and swim like a duck. There! Now will you get the
boat I want?"

"Yes, my darling, I will. And I will also take the precaution to hire
the man in charge of it to help us row, in case of accidents."

"No, no, no; I won't have the man! He would spoil all our pleasure. I
want you and myself to go out alone together, and have no interloper
with us."

"But, my beloved--"

"I don't believe you love me at all, when you want a great hulking
boatman to be in the boat with us, watching us," said the bride, with
pretty childish petulance.

"Not love you? Oh, heaven of heavens! You _know_ how I love you--how I
_adore_ you--how I _worship_ you!" he whispered, earnestly.

"Will you get the boat I want before it grows too dark?"

"Yes, yes, I will, my darling! I can refuse you nothing," said the
infatuated bridegroom as he walked down to the water's edge and
forthwith hired the one she had set her heart on.

Then he came back to take her down to the boat.

It was a mere shell, as he had said; and though the boatman declared
that it could easily carry six if required, it did not look as if it
would safely bear more than two or three passengers at most.

They were soon floating out upon the water and down with the tide past
the dingy colliers and the small trading vessels that were anchored
there, and out among the coming and going sloops and schooners.

"Let me row toward that beautiful wooded shore. It is so lovely over
there!" said Mary Grey, coaxingly.

"'Distan