She's a daughter of some big man away
down South. They're to be married come the spring o' the year."

Casely watched the graceful young lady over the crest of the next rise,
then turned homeward and sat down silent as usual. Now it happened that
the lady when she passed the gossiping fishers was going to meet young
Ellington. That gentleman had lately persuaded his grandfather to buy a
light boat for the better navigation of a heavy dull stream that ran
deep and silent round the southerly border of the home farm, and the
individual undutifully referred to as "the young Squire's lass" was
about to trust herself in the new craft with her lover. Ellington had
everything ready when the girl reached the stream. When she had stepped
aboard, he said--

"You called at Marchman's for Aunt Esther and Miss Marshall?"

"Yes! But they teased. They said they were having such an interesting
gossip with poor old Hannah, they would prefer following me. They
thought we might employ our time till they came up."

"It's just as well. I'm sure, if you don't mind, I don't. Which way
shall we go?"

"I cannot tell. The stream is so slack I could hardly guess where the
sea lay if I didn't know."

"Well, now, I'll tell you what I propose doing. We can slip over the bar
as the wind is just now. There's always a little rough water just where
the burn joins the sea, but when we get over that the sea outside is
quite smooth. Then we can sail, and save the bore of pulling."

So the confident young man pointed the boat's stem down stream, and
after a little jerky work on the bar stood clear out into blue water.

He was used to sailing, so that he really took his boat rather cleverly
round to the north-east. Then he made fast the sheet, since he wanted
one hand free; the boat lay prettily over till the water gurgled again
under her sharp bows, and Mr. Ellington felt the contentment and
exhilaration born of swift movement. But of course he must needs proceed
in this matter as in all others without thought of the future. The tide
was running fast out, and a surface current which always skirts the bay
set the boat ever more eastward. The rocks grew a little dim before
Ellington looked round and considered the situation. He felt quite easy
in his mind, however, and, stepping forward, let go the tiny halliard,
whereupon the sail came down.

"Now," he said, "we're just going to let her take her own way for an
hour."

This sailor-like resolution p