"Well, ye know what it is?" fiercely. "Only a bit of a Scotch
cap,"--holding it up on his fist. "I bought it down at Port Monmouth,
Saturday, for him. I was a-goin' to take him home this week up to the
old folks in Connecticut. I kin take _that_ instead, an' tell 'em whar
our Benny is."

"That's so," said Joe, his eye twinkling as he looked over Phil's
shoulder.

A fat little hand slapped the said shoulder, and "Hillo, Bowlegs!" came
in a small shout in his ear. Phil turned, looked at the boy from head to
foot, gulped down one or two heavy breaths.

"Hi! you young vagabond, you!" he said, and went suddenly back to his
anchor, keeping his head down on his breast for a long while.----

He had piled up the sand at her back to make her a seat while they
waited for the wagons. Now he sat on her skirts, holding her hands to
warm them. He had almost forgotten Mary and the Doctor. Nature or
instinct, call it what you will, some subtile whim of blood called love,
brought the old clam-digger nearer to him than all the rest of the
world. He held the bony fingers tight, looked for an old ring she used
to wear, tried to joke to bring out the flicker of a smile on her mouth,
leaned near to catch her breath. He remembered how curiously sweet it
used to be, like new milk.

The dawn opened clear and dark blue; the sun yet waited below the stormy
sea. Though they sat there a long while, she was strangely quiet,--did
not seem so much afraid of him as she used to be when he began to rise
above her,--held his hand, with a bright, contented face, and said
little else than "My boy! my boy!" under her breath. Her eyes followed
every movement of his face with an insatiate hunger; yet the hesitation
and quiet in her motions and voice were unnatural. He asked her once or
twice if she were ill.

"Wait a bit, an' I'll tell thee, Derrick," she said. "Thee must remember
I'm not as young as I was then," with a smile. "Thee must speak fast, my
son. I'd like to hear of thee gran' home, if thee's willin'."

He told her, as he would to please a child, of the place and fame and
wealth he had won; but it had not the effect he expected. Before he had
finished, the look in her eyes grew vague and distant. Some thought in
the poor clam-digger's soul made these things but of little moment. She
interrupted him.

"There be one yonner that loves my boy. I'd like to speak a word to her
before--Call her, Derrick."

He rose and beckoned to Miss Defourche