rose, smoothed his hair, and stepped softly out upon the beach. There
he saw two shadowy figures, Sereno and Hattie. She hurried forward to
meet him.

"You goin' to see the sunrise, too, father?"
she asked. "I made Sereno come. He's awful mad at bein' waked up."

Eli grasped her arm.

"Hattie," he said, in a whisper, "don't you tell. I jest come out to
see how 'twas here, before I go. I'm goin' home,--I'm goin' _now_."

"Why, father!" said Hattie; but she peered more closely into his face,
and her tone changed. "All right," she added, cheerfully. "Sereno'll go
and harness up."

"No; I'm goin' to walk."

"But, father--"

"I don't mean to breakup your stayin' here, nor your mother's. You tell
her how 'twas. I'm goin' to walk."

Hattie turned and whispered to her husband for a moment. Then she took
her father's hand.

"I'll slip into the tent and put you up somethin' for your breakfast
and luncheon," she said. "Sereno's gone to harness; for, pa, you must
take one horse, and you can send Luke back with it Friday, so's we can
get the things home. What do we want of two horses down here, at two