"You was allus good to me, girls!" she said gratefully. "I feel lots
better now. This fire's rale comfortin'!" bending almost into it in her
desire for warmth.

But the vociferous baby would no longer be silenced; and she took him
from Morton's arms to her own, hugging him close, and growing warmer at
once from the contact of his dear little body.

"It's good to be home agin," she murmured sleepily. "I hope your pa's
safe at anchor to-night: it's terrible bad weather, Sairay."

"Where did the rain overtake you, mother?" asked the latter, as she
hurried about preparing a cup of hot tea and a plateful of food.

"Jest this side the cross-roads; and, my! how it did drive! We got it
e'enamost in our full faces, an' it cut like a knife; but 'twas jest as
fur back as 'twas forwards, an' Mis' Ruttger was as anxious to git home
to her young uns as I was. Yah-h! but I'm sleepy!" with a long yawn.

"You'd better get right to bed, mother, as soon as you've eaten this;
and I'll undress baby and bring him to you. You're warmer now?"

"Rale comf'able, thank ye. I do hope they ain't got any such wind out to
the Banks! You ain't asked me about the funeral, Sairay."

"I was so busy, mother; were there many there?"

"E'enamost a hundred, I should think; they come from as far away as
Norcross an' Weskisset. P'fessor Page of the seminary was there, an' he
asked after you; he said you was a fine scholard. Then there was the