that the time passed away before I knew it,
and when I came to go down on the wharf to engage a passage with Ben,
the men said the 'Gull' had never got back from her last trip, and
they were afraid it was lost. Ned didn't believe there had been a
shipwreck, neither did Mr. Gray. He said that most likely the skipper
had been kept by some business, or perhaps the 'Gull' had gone farther
down the coast than usual. Oh, Uncle Richard! we didn't think that
poor Ben was drowned, nor that you thought me wrecked with him."

Trafford said, "Those were fearful days for me. Go on, go on, Noll."

"We went down to the wharf every night till another week was gone, and
then, we began to be certain that Ben was either wrecked or sick, and
I began to be anxious to get some word to you. I thought that perhaps
you might be worried about me, though Mr. Gray said that if the 'Gull'
was wrecked anywhere near Culm, you could not help but know I was not
on board. We waited and waited till the three weeks were gone, and
then some of Ben's friends began to talk of going in search of him.
But it was only till last night that they were ready to go, and we
came off before daylight this morning. Oh, the time has seemed so
long, Uncle Richard! but here I am, safe and sound, once more."

Trafford looked at his nephew as if he could yet hardly believe his
eyes.

"And you should have seen Dirk and the rest!" continued Noll; "why, he
wouldn't speak to me at first, but was going to run away; but when he
did find that it was really I, he cried like a great child. He said
that you thought me dead,--you can't know how I felt when he said
that, Uncle Richard,--and so Ned and I didn't wait any longer, but ran
all the way here. I can think, now, why you looked so white when I
came in at the door!"

Trafford stroked the boy's hair, saying, "I never thought to hear the
echoes of your feet again. God knows. Oh, my boy, _you_ can never
know what this night has brought to me. He who led you thither only
can. But whose name did you mention?"

"Ned's; he came down with me, Uncle Richard, for it's vacation at
Hastings. We came up to the kitchen-door, because Hagar's light shone
so brightly, and what do you think? she threw up her hands and
screamed at the sight of me. But it didn't take long to make her
certain that I was real, and not a vision. And, oh, there's one thing
I'd forgotten! The new teacher is at Culm, waiting for Dirk to come
over with h