When Lucy turned to go back, she found the French skipper coming
toward her with a scrap of paper in his hand. He presented it with a
low bow; she took it with a courtesy. It was neatly folded, though not
as letters are folded ashore, and it bore her address. She opened it
and read:
"It was not worth while disturbing your rest just to see us go off.
God bless you, Miss Lucy! The Frenchman is bound for ----, and will
take you safe; and mind you don't step ashore till the plank is fast.
Yours, respectfully,
"DAVID DODD."
That was all. She folded it back thoughtfully into the original folds,
and turned away. When she had gone but a few steps she stopped and put
her rejected lover's little note into her bosom, and went slowly back
to the boat, hanging her sweet head, and crying as she went.
CHAPTER XX.
MR. FOUNTAIN remained in the town waiting for his niece's return. Six
o'clock came--no boat. Eight o'clock--no boat, and a heavy gale
blowing. He went down to the beach in great anxiety; and when he got
there he soon found it was shared to the full by many human beings.
There were little knots of fishermen and sailors discussing it, and
one poor woman, mother and wife, stealing from group to group and
listening anxiously to the men's conjectures. But the most striking
feature of the scene was an old white-haired man, who walked wildly,
throwing his arms about.
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