praise.

Little Humfrey, on his father's knee, comprehending that they were
speaking of the recent sorrow, put in his piece of information that
"father had brought little sister back from the sea."

"Ah, child!" said Master Heatherthwayte, in the ponderous tone of one
unused to children, "thou hast yet to learn the words of the holy
David, 'I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.'"

"Bring not that thought forward, Master Heatherthwayte," said
Richard, "I am well pleased that my poor wife and this little lad can
take the poor little one as a solace sent them by God, as she
assuredly is."

"Mean you, then, to adopt her into your family?" asked the minister.

"We know not if she hath any kin," said Richard, and at that moment
Susan entered, followed by the man and maid, each bearing a portion
of the meal, which was consumed by the captain and the clergyman as
thoroughly hungry men eat; and there was silence till the capon's
bones were bare and two large tankards had been filled with Xeres
sack, captured in a Spanish ship, "the only good thing that ever came
from Spain," quoth the sailor.

Then he began to tell how he had weathered the storm on the
Berwickshire coast; but he was interrupted by another knock, followed
by the entrance of a small, pale, spare man, with the lightest
possible hair, very short, and almost invisible eyebrows; he had a
round ruff round his neck, and a black, scholarly gown, belted round