give un a kith!'

"She kissed un. 'Twas like a pistol-shot. An', Lord! her poor face was
shinin'...."

In the forecastle of the _Good Samaritan_ we listened to the wind as it
scampered over the deck; and we watched Tumm pick at the knot in the
table.

"Was she happy?" I asked, at last.

"Well," he answered, with a laugh, "she sort o' got what she was
wantin'. More'n she was lookin' for, I 'low. Seven o' them. An' all
straight an' hearty. Ecod! sir, you never _seed_ such a likely litter o'
young uns. Spick an' span, ecod! from stem t' stern. Smellin' clean an'
sweet; decks as white as snow; an' every nail an' knob polished 'til it
made you blink t' see it. An' when I was down Thunder Arm way, last
season, they was some talk _o' one o' them bein' raised for a parson!_"

I went on deck. The night was still black; but beyond--high over the
open sea, hung in the depths of the mystery of night and space--there
was a star.




HYACINTHUS