Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-01-29
Once Aboard the Lugger.
By o."
copyright, 1895, by the Author.l


ed, but this time there was something
like constraint in her voice. AS he pull
ed to the door softly she moved and led
the way down to the waterside.
From the quay door long ladder ran
down to the water. At low water one
had to descend 20 feet and more, but
now the high tide left but three of its
rungs uncovered. At the young minis
ter's feet small fishing boat lay ready,
moored by short painter to the ladder.
The girl stepped lightly down and held
up her hand.
"Thank you," said the young man,
with dignity, "but 1 do not want help.
She made no answer to this, but as
he stepped down went forward and I'M
moored the painter. Then she pushed
gently away from the ladder, hoisted
the small foresail, and returning to her
companion stood beside him for mo-
ment with her hand on the tiller.
Better make fast the foresheet, "
she said suddenly.
The young man looked helplessly at
her He had not the slightest idea of
her meaning-did not, in fact, know
the difference between a foresheet. and
a mainsail. And it was just to find out
the depth Of his ignorance that she had
spoken.
Never mind" she said, "I'll do it
myself"
She made the rope fast and took hold
of the tiller again. The sails shook and
filled softly as they glided out from I'M
der the wall. The soft breeze blew
straight behind them, and the tide was
just beginning to ebb. She slackened
the mainsheet little, and the water
Missed as they spun down under the
gray town toward the harbor's mouth
A dozen vessels lay at anchor below
the town quay, their lamps showing a
strange orange yellow in the moonlight
Between them the minister saw the cot
tages Of Ruan glimmering ON the east
ern shore and above them the coast
guard station, with its flagstaff, a clear
white upon the black hillside 1t SEEM
ed to him that they were not shaping
their course for the little town.
81 thought you told me-" he said at
length, that Mrs. -, the dying wo-
man, lived across there"
The girl shook her head "Not in
Ruan itsel'-Ruan parish. Well have
to 90 round the point"
She was leaning back and gazing
straight before her toward the harbor's
mouth. The boat was one of the class
that serve along that coast for hook and
line as well as drift net fishing, clinker
built, about ~ feet in the keel and
nine in the beam. 1t had no deck be-
yond small cuddy forward, on top of
which a light hoar frost was gathering
as they moved. The minister stood be-
side the girl and withdrew his eyes from
this cuddy roof to contemplate her.
''Do you mean to say" he asked,
THAT you don't take cold wearing no
wrap or bonnet on frosty nights like
this?"
She let the tiller go for a moment,
took his hand by the wrist and laid it
on her own bare arm. He felt the flesh,
but it was firm and warm. Then lie
withdrew his hand hastily without find
ing anything to say. His eyes avoided
hers. When, after half a minute, he
looked at her again, her gaze was fixed
straight ahead upon the misty stretch
of sea beyond the harbor's mouth.
In minnie or two they were sweep
ing between the tall cliff and the reef
of rocks that guard this entrance on
either side. On the reef stood d wooden
&ol l. b..
give il wide berth; on the cliff gray
castle, with battery before it, under
s7-=zIs untgm vmoy spun eoowuFu,
still with the wind astern.
Outside the sea lay as smooth as
within the harbor. The wind blew
steadily off the shore, so that close
hauled, one might fetch up or down
channel with equal ease. The girl be-
gan to fatten the sailr and asked her
companion to bear hand. Their hands
met over a rope, and the man noted
with surprise that the girls was fever
ishly hot. Then she brought the boats
nose round to the eastward, and heel
ing gently over the dark water they be-
gan to skirt the misty coast, with the
breeze on their left cheeks.
''How much farther" asked the min
lister.
She nodded toward the first point in
the direction of Plymouth. He turned
his coat collar up about his ears and
wondered if his duty would often take
him ON such journeys as this; also he
felt thankful that the sea was smooth
He might or might not be given to sea-
sickness, but somehow he was sincerely
glad that he had not to be put to the
test for the first time in this girls pres
ence
They passed the small headland, and
still the boat held on its way.
81 had no idea you were going to
take me this distance. Didn't you tell
me the house lay beyond the point
we've just passed."
To his amazement the girl drew her
self up, looked him straight in the face
and said:
"There's no such place"
"What?''
"Theres no such place. There's no.
body i'll at all. told you a lie"
"You told me liel Then why in
the name Of common sense am here?'