"I'm not so afraid of being alone as some people are," said
Rachel, with dignity.

The other girls went on, leaving Rachel sitting on the skids, in
the shadow of the big white boat. She sat there for a time
dreaming happily, with her blue eyes on the far, pearly horizon,
and her golden head leaning against the boat.

Suddenly she heard a step behind her. When she turned her head a
man was standing beside her, looking down at her with big, merry,
blue eyes. Rachel was quite sure that she had never seen him
before; yet those eyes seemed to her to have a strangely familiar
look. She liked him. She felt no shyness nor timidity, such as
usually afflicted her in the presence of strangers.

He was a tall, stout man, dressed in a rough fishing suit, and
wearing an oilskin cap on his head. His hair was very thick and
curly and fair; his cheeks were tanned and red; his teeth, when
he smiled, were very even and white. Rachel thought he must be
quite old, because there was a good deal of gray mixed with his
fair hair.

"Are you watching for the mermaids?" he said.

Rachel nodded gravely. From any one else she would have
scrupulously hidden such a thought.

"Yes, I am," she said. "Mother says there is no such thing as a
mermaid, but I like to think there is. Have you ever seen one?"