to the little wharf,
revealing the skipper's sturdy person, and Mr. Snape's long and solemn
visage. Noll could hardly wait for the craft to touch the planks, and
Skipper Ben spied the lad before the "Gull" came up, with a dull thump
and jar, alongside.

"Great fishes!" cried he, extending his hand to aid Noll in clambering
aboard, "if here ben't the lad, alive an' hearty! Glad ter see
ye,--glad ter see ye!" shaking the boy's hand as if he never would
have done.

"You may believe I'm glad to see you!" said Noll; "I never was so glad
to see anything as the old 'Gull' in my life; and oh, why didn't you
come earlier, skipper?"

Ben laughed. "I knowed ye hev a hard time on't," he said; "reckoned
ye'd be glad ter see the old skipper once more. An', lad, how goes
it?"

Mr. Snape came up just here, drawling, "What ye think o' the winters
down 'ere, now, lad?"

"They _are_ long," said Noll; "but I've got through one, somehow. If
it weren't for the sickness, and such a long time without letters, I
wouldn't mind. Oh! skipper, haven't you got a great packet of 'em for
me?"

"Been sick down 'ere; hev ye?" said Ben, evading Noll's question.
"Well, that's wuss'n bein' without letters, eh, lad?"

"But haven't you got a bundle of 'em for me?" queried Noll. "I can't
wait, skipper!"

The skipper began to slowly shake his head. "Sorry," he said, "but I
didn't bring ye nary letter this time. Don' know but all yer frien's
hev forgot ye, fur they didn't give a single scrap o' paper to bring,
nor a message, nuther."

Mr. Snape began to grin, seeing how Noll's face fell, and how all his
joy and eagerness had suddenly vanished, and stepping along to the
hatchway, made certain mysterious signs and beckonings to something or
some one, there. Noll, filled with disappointment, walked away to the
stern and looked down into the green depths of water rippling there,
and strove to conceal his feelings from the watchful skipper. Up from
the hatchway and along the deck came a light step,--eager,
hurrying,--and before Noll could turn around, two arms had clasped him
about and held him fast against the rail, while a voice--just as full
of laughter and merriness as a voice could be--cried,--

"Oh, Noll, Noll Trafford! not to know me! not to _guess_ that I was
here! Why, you dear old fellow, ain't I better than letters? I've a
good mind to never let you look around to pay for not mistrusting that
I was here! Oh, Noll!"