What did this departure portend? Would it break up their life-long
friendship? He was glad to see his mother take Sara's hand, and, as she
kissed her tenderly, exact a promise that she would write occasionally.

But when the others crowded around, each eager for the last word, he
turned away and busied himself with his tiller-rope, sick at heart. At
last the good-bys were all said; Morton had taken his seat at the
rudder, and Molly was nestled with baby on a cushion in the bottom of
the taut little boat, when, just as Jasper was holding out a hand to
help Sara aboard, she turned and gave a last, long, lingering look over
the quaint little town in its radiant setting of sea and sky.

"Good-by, all--all I love!" she said brokenly, then turned to Jasper,
and was soon silently seated in her designated place.

The young man, also silent, took up the oars to fit them into the
rowlocks, when suddenly Molly was seen scrambling to her feet.

"Wait, Jap, wait!" she cried eagerly, and leaping over the seats, sprang
lightly ashore.

"Why, what is it?" "Have you lost something?" "What can the child want?"
were some of the questions showered after her from boat and beach, as
she was seen to stoop and plunge a quickly bared arm into the water.

She drew it forth again, and held up something green and many-clawed.

"It's just a lobster I saw," she said calmly, as she climbed back to her
place with the surprised crustacean gingerly suspended from her dripping