The Pilot and his Wife

e had learnt navigation he should be third mate on board the Juno; and he heard himself admired on all sides by his equals and associates. There was so much work to be done, though, in discha

ng under the lee of the bulwark, he accidentally overheard a con

f them was telling the story of old Jacob's death, an

im buried on Monday next, and that he is to provide for

king of the hammers th

d deal of the co

made in a somewhat lower tone, and accompanied by a doubtful laugh. "It is not

feather? Old Jacob, I should have

has had her already taken into his own house. I have that from the aunt. The old woman had no suspicion

ring down at him over the ship's side with a pair of eyes that struck him as resembling those h

other, as he set to work with his adze upon the pencilled

some one had better take care of

er had been hinted of his relations with Elizabeth, and that the latter had even taken refuge in his house, seemed all only too probab

een benumbed. It was impossible for him to give any assistance, except in

t?" said the mate to him in the course of the after

ining in the hauling song from time to time with a wild, unnatural energy: he was afraid to leave himself a moment for thought. When the day was over, however, he took the anchor watch for a comrade, who was overjoy

he harbour, and a light here and there up in the town-sometimes standing for long minutes together, with his ch

down them in the dark to the slip, and from there made his way ashore. Elizabeth's aunt live

nd her ears. She was not unused to being disturbed at night, one of her occupations being to nurse sick people; but she always grumbled whenever she wa

of night!" she began, severely, in the doorway, not caring t

off my watch; I wanted to have

at the old woman saw that there must be somethi

izabeth,

is she st

with the Becks, of course.

t best, mother Kirstin

and looked at him in vague anxiet

tell me," she said, almo

e year-shooting sea-birds-or-do you really think he means

and setting down the candlestick hard upon the tab

r was over; but anger had succeeded to it, and she rose now from her seat

house is as respectable a one as any in Arendal; and it isn't you, and such as you, that can take its character away. Never fear but Elizabeth shall hear every word of your precious story-ay, an

f her indignation, "I didn't think about it-I couldn't think. Only, I heard

ntly; "and I'd have you know, it was just Beck's own daughter who came here and offered Elizabeth a respectable place in a respectable house, and it was to me she talked, my lad," pointing self-consciously with quivering forefinger at her own bosom; "so Elizabeth has no

aid, entreatingly, feeling as if a weight had been t

epend upon

a dress with me for her that I had bought in Boston. And then I heard a

n a somewhat milder tone; "so you brought a dress for her! and at the same time you come running up here in the m

tine, I don't bel

, I suppose, you came up h

hink such a thing co

g shall go farther with his lie-if I go with

to go with him to the moon; but Salvé understood her to

th a certain confidential seriousness-"Tell me, Sa

ply he should make to this unexpected in

or certain; two years ago, I made

at's my advice," she replied, without allowing herself to be brought any furth

with the light in her lap, staring a

t will be better to tell Elizabeth, and then she can be on her guard there in the house;"

se next day, and he felt the courage he had mustered up, to go

to his father instead, to see if he could learn more of the situation through inquiries from h