"What young men?" asked Miss Maria.

"Why, I told you about 'em!" retorted the old man, with some
exasperation.

"You told me about two young men that stopped on the wharf and
pitied Lyddy's worn-out looks."

"Didn't I tell you the rest? I declare for't, I don't believe I did;
I be'n so put about. Well, as we was drivin' up to the depot, we met
the same two young men, and the captain asked 'em, 'Are you goin' or
not a-goin'?'--just that way; and they said, 'We're goin'.' And he
said, 'When you comin' aboard?' and he told 'em he was goin' to haul
out this mornin' at three o'clock. And they asked what tug, and he
told 'em, and they fixed it up between 'em all then that they was to
come aboard from the tug, when she'd got the ship outside; and that's
what I suppose they did. The captain he said to me he hadn't mentioned
it before, because he wa'n't sure't they'd go till that minute. He
give 'em a first-rate of a character."

Miss Maria said nothing for a long while. The subject seemed one with
which she did not feel herself able to grapple. She looked all about
the kitchen for inspiration, and even cast a searching glance into
the wood-shed. Suddenly she jumped from her chair, and ran to the
open window: "Mr. Goodlow! Mr. Goodlow! I wish you'd come in here
a minute."

She hurried to meet the minister at the front door, her father lagging
after her with the infantile walk of an old man.