"What is't, my dear?" he bawled back in her ear, kissing her wet cheek
in a preoccupied manner.

She was about to ask him what this wreck amounted to, that she should
for the moment sink to nothing in comparison with it. But, at this
instant, a small group of men and women joined them, and, catching sight
of the faces of Sarah Ann Nanjulian and Modesty Prowse, her friends, she
tried another tack--

"Well, Zeb, no doubt 'twas disappointing for you; but don't 'ee take on
so. Think how much harder 'tis for the poor souls i' that ship."

This astute sentence, however, missed fire completely. Zeb answered it
with a point-blank stare of bewilderment. The others took no notice of
it whatever.

"Hav'ee seen her, Zeb?" called out his father.

"No."

"Nor I nuther. 'Reckon 'tis all over a'ready. I've a-heard afore
now," he went on, turning his back to the wind the better to wink at the
company, "that 'tis lucky for some folks Gauger Hocken hain't extra spry
'pon his pins. But 'tis a gift that cuts both ways. Be any gone round
by Cove Head to look out?"

"Iss, a dozen or more. I saw 'em 'pon the road, a minute back, like
emmets runnin'."

"'Twas very nice feelin', I must own--very nice indeed--of Gauger Hocken