night, when she should make her _debut_, with as great interest as had
Winnie herself. Could he once get initiated into her good graces, he had
no fears for the rest; and he had already visions of what he was
pleased to term, "Old Santon's chest of gold." The attentions with which
Winnie had received him, on former occasions, had served in no way to
lessen his confidence as to his success, and with this end in view, his
steps were bent towards the scene of gaiety. Reasons best known to
himself, forbidding him to pass Mr. Delwood, whom he overtook on
the way.

"Quite an affair to-night! I'm thinking," remarked Montague, as he
observed Delwood's cool indifference, and endeavoring to draw him into
conversation, he added, "there's a young _protégé_ of Santon's, staying
with his daughter, who, I hear, hails from down east. Nantucket, I
believe, perhaps we may get a little information on harpooning!"

"Ah?" said Delwood, mechanically.

"Yes, the boys will have some sport I'm thinking; perhaps some of them
may be induced to ship as mate, for a down east voyage! I remember of
sailing by Nantucket many years ago, on my return from Liverpool, (he
did not add that he had worked his passage) and though some twenty miles
distant, we fancied that we got a whiff of the hump-backs. Our captain
was a jolly sort of fellow, and would have us land-lubbers believe that
his experienced eye could see half across the ocean, but he found we
were too smart for him, when he told us he could see a church-steeple
looming up on the island, for of course we knew that such things were
not raised there."

Much to Mr. Delwood's relief, they had now arrived at Mr. Santon's