e
that again."

Esther Tidditt smiled. "Yes, you will, Aurora," she snapped. "Yes, you
will. Give him time and about two or three more New York trips, and
those images will be up at auction again. Thirty thousand don't last
some folks long, and Elviry and her Eg will be needin' money to pay
grocery bills. You can't eat an iron lion. Just wait, Aurora. We may
have that menagerie in the yard here yet. Possess your soul in
patience."

There was another buzz about the table, this time of scornful
disapproval. Mrs. Chase leaned forward.

"What's she sayin', Susanna?" she demanded, querulously. "Susanna
Brackett, why don't you or the rest tell me what she's sayin'?"

* * * * *

At that moment the ship _Gold Finder_, of Boston, Winthrop and
Hunniwell, owners, Sears Kendrick, master, was sailing out over the
waters of Massachusetts Bay. Astern, a diamond point against the
darkening sky, Minot's Light shone. The vessel was heeling slightly in
the crisp evening wind, her full, rounded sails rustling overhead, her
cordage creaking, foam at her forefoot and her wake stretching backward
toward the land she was leaving. Her skipper stood aft by the binnacle,
feeling, with a joy quite indescribable, the lift of the deck beneath
him and the rush of the breeze across his face.

From the open door of the galley lamplight streamed. Within Judah Cahoon
sang as he worked over the stove. Judah had had a glorious afternoon.
His chanteys had cast off the hawsers, had walked away with the ropes,
had hoisted the sails, had bade the tug good-by. Now his voice was a
thought frayed, but he sang on.

Elizabeth--now Elizabeth Berry no more forever--came up the companion
ladder. She joined her husband by the after rail. The sea air was chill
and she was wearing one of the captain's pea jackets, the collar turned
up; a feathery strand of her brown hair blew out to leeward. She stood
beside him. The man at the wheel was looking down into the binnacle and
Sears took her hand.

"Well?" he said, after a moment.

She looked up at him. "Well?" she said.

Neither spoke immediately. Then Kendrick breathed a sigh, a sigh
expressive of many things.

She understood. As always she knew what he was thinking.

"Yes," she said, "it is glorious. Glorious for me; but for you,
Sears----"

"Yes. It's pretty fine. I really never expected to make sail out of
Boston harbor again. And if anybody had told me that I was to--" wi