some months at least."

"Yes," continued Mrs de Lacey, slowly following the footsteps of the
governess, who had already moved from beneath the ruin; "whole fleets have
often been towed to their anchors, and there warped, waiting for wind and
tide to serve. None of our sex know the dangers of the Ocean, but we who
have been bound in the closest of all ties to officers of rank and great
service; and none others can ever truly enjoy the real grandeur of the
ennobling profession. A charming object is a vessel cutting the waves with
her taffrail, and chasing her wake on the trackless waters, like a courser
that ever keeps in his path, though dashing madly on at the very top of
his speed!--"

The reply of Mrs Wyllys was not audible to the covert listeners. Gertrude
had followed her companions; but, when at some little distance from the
tower, she paused, to take a parting look at its mouldering walls. A
profound stillness succeeded for more than a minute.

"There is something in that pile of stones, Cassandra," she said to the
jet-black maiden at her elbow, "that could make me wish it had been
something more than a mill."

"There rat in 'em," returned the literal and simple-minded black; "you
hear what Misse Wyllys say?"

Gertrude turned, laughed, patted the dark cheek of her attendant with
fingers that looked like snow by the contrast, as if to chide her for
wishing to destroy the pleasing illusion she would so gladly harbour and
then bounded down the hill after her aunt and governess, like a joyous and
youthful Atalanta.