favourite time for the young people to meet, as they were not only certain
to be unemployed, but to be in their best. Roswell Gardiner was in the
practice of visiting Mary Pratt on Sunday evenings; but he would almost as
soon think of desecrating a church, as think of entering the deacon's
abode, on the Sabbath, until after sunset, or "sun_down_," to use the
familiar Americanism that is commonly applied to this hour of the day.
Here he was, now, however, wondering, and anxious to learn why he had been
sent for.

"Roswell," said Mary, earnestly, slightly colouring again as she spoke,
"we have a great favour to ask. You know the poor old sailor who has been,
staying at the Widow While's, this month or more--he is now very low; so
low, we think he ought to have better advice than can be found on Oyster
Pond, and we wish to get Dr. Sage over from the Harbour. How to do it has
been the question, when I thought of you. If you could take the whale-boat
and go across, the poor man might have the benefit of the doctor's advice
in the course of a few hours."

"Yes," put in the uncle, "and I shall charge nothing for the use of the
boat; so that, if _you_ volunteer, Gar'ner, it will leave so much towards
settling up the man's accounts, when settling day comes."

Roswell Gardiner understood both uncle and niece perfectly. The intense
selfishness of the first was no more a secret to him than was the entire
disinterestedness of the last. He gazed a moment, in fervent admiration,
at Mary; then he turned to the deacon, and professed his readiness to
"volunteer." Knowing the man so well, he took care distinctly to express
the word, so as to put the mind of this votary of Mammon at ease.

"Gar'ner will _volunteer_, then," rejoined the uncle, "and I shall charge