LESSON XXXI. 2. flood-tide; n. the flowing in 3. härd' tǎek; n. bread made small salt 4. noon' ing; n. rest at noon. 9. lûrks; v. lies hidden. The Cruise of the Dolphin. Part I. 1. It was a proud moment when I stood on the wharf, with my partners, inspecting the Dolphin, moored at the foot of a very slippery flight of steps. She was painted white, with a green stripe outside, and on the stern a yellow dolphin, with its scarlet mouth wide open, stared with a surprised expression at its own reflection in the water. The boat was a great bargain. 2. Not long after the purchase of the boat, we planned an excursion to Sandpeep Island, the last of the islands in the harbor. We proposed to start early in the morning, and return with the tide in the moonlight. We were up before sunrise the next morning, in order to take advantage of the flood-tide, which waits for no man. Our prepa rations for the cruise were made the previous evening. 3. In the way of eatables and drinkables, we had stored in the stern of the Dolphin a generous bag of hardtack (for the chowder), a piece of pork to fry the cunners in, three gigantic apple-pies, half a dozen lemons, and a keg of spring-water, the last-named article we slung over the side to keep it cool, as soon as we got under way. 4. The crockery, and the bricks for our camp-stove, we placed in the bow with the groceries, which included sugar, pepper, salt, and a bottle of pickles. Phil Adams contributed to the outfit a small tent of unbleached cotton cloth, under which we intended to take our nooning. 5. We unshipped the mast, threw in an extra oar, and were ready to embark. How calm and lovely the river was! Not a ripple stirred on the glassy surface, broken only by the sharp cutwater of our tiny craft. The sun, as round and red as an August moon, was by this time peering above the water-line. The town had drifted behind us, and we were entering among the group of islands. Sometimes we could almost touch with our boat-hook the shelving banks on either side. As we neared the mouth of the harbor, a little breeze now and then wrinkled the blue water, shook the spangles from the foliage, and gently lifted the spiral mist-wreaths that still clung alongshore. 6. The measured dip of our oars and the drowsy twitterings of the birds seemed to mingle with, rather than break, the enchanted silence that reigned about us. The scent of the new clover comes back to me now, as I recall that delicious morning when we floated away in a fairyboat down a river like a dream. 7. The sun was well up when the nose of the Dolphin nestled against the snow-white bosom of Sandpeep Island. This island was the last of the cluster, one side of it being washed by the sea. We landed on the river side, the sloping sands and quiet water affording us a good place to moor the boat. 8. It took us an hour or two to transport our stores to the spot selected for the encampment. Having pitched our tent, using the five oars to support the canvas, we got out our lines, and went down the rocks seaward to fish. It was early for cunners, but we were lucky enough to catch as nice a mess as ever you saw. A cod for the chowder was not so easily secured. At last Binny Wallace hauled in a plump little fellow, crusted all over with flaky silver. 9. To skin the fish, build our fireplace, and cook the chowder kept us busy the next two hours. The fresh air and the exercise had given us the appetites of wolves, and we were about famished by the time the savory mixture was ready for our clam-shell saucers. How happy we were, we four, sitting cross-legged in the crisp salt grass, with the invigorating sea-breeze blowing gratefully through our hair! What a joyous thing was life, and how far off seemed death,-death, that lurks in all pleasant places, and was so near! The harbor referred to in the Lesson (2) is that of Portsmouth, New Hampshire; the scene of the story is laid around that place. 4. pāïnt' er; n. a rope at the 16. row'lõèks; n. arrangements bow of a boat. for supporting oars in rowing. The Cruise of the Dolphin. Part II. 1. The wind had freshened by this, and we found it comfortable to put on the jackets which had been thrown aside in the heat of the day. We strolled along the beach, and gathered large quantities of the fairy-woven Iceland moss, which, at certain seasons, is washed to these shores; then we played at ducks and drakes; and then, the sun being sufficiently low, we went in bathing. 2. Before our bath was ended, a slight change had come over the sky and sea; fleecy white clouds scudded here and there, and a muffled moan from the breakers caught our ears from time to time. While we were dressing, a few hurried drops of rain came lisping down, and we adjourned to the tent to await the passing of the squall. "It 3. "We're all right anyhow," said Phil Adams. won't be much of a blow, and we'll be as snug as a bug in a rug, here in the tent, particularly if we have that lemonade which some of you fellows were going to make." 4. By an oversight, the lemons had been left in the boat. Binny Wallace volunteered to go for them. "Put an extra stone on the painter, Binny," said Adams, calling after him; "it would be awkward to have the Dolphin give us the slip, and return to port minus her passengers." "That it would," answered Binny, scrambling down the rocks. 5. Sandpeep Island is diamond-shape,-one point running out into the sea, and the other looking towards the town. Our tent was on the river side. Though the Dolphin was also on the same side, it lay out of sight by the beach at the farther extremity of the island. 6. Binny Wallace had been absent five or six minutes, when we heard him calling our several names in tones that indicated distress or surprise, we could not tell which. Our first thought was, "The boat has broken adrift!" 7. We sprung to our feet, and hastened down to the beach. On turning the bluff which hid the mooring-place from our view, we found the conjecture correct. Not only was the Dolphin afloat, but poor little Binny Wallace was standing in the bow with his arms stretched helplessly toward us, drifting out to sea! 8. "Head the boat in shore!" shouted Phil Adams. Wallace ran to the tiller; but the slight cockleshell merely swung round, and drifted broadside on. Oh, if we had but left a single scull in the Dolphin ! 9. "Can you swim it?" cried Adams desperately, using his hand as a speaking-trumpet, for the distance between the boat and the island widened momently. 10. Binny Wallace looked down at the sea, which was covered with white-caps, and made a despairing gesture. He knew, and we knew, that the stoutest swimmer could not live forty seconds in those angry, waters. 11. A wild, insane light came into Phil Adams's eyes, as he stood knee-deep in the boiling surf, and for an instant I think he meditated plunging into the ocean after the receding boat. 12. The sky darkened, and an ugly look stole rapidly over the broken surface of the sea. Binny Wallace half rose from his seat in the stern, and waved his hand to us in token of farewell. In spite of the distance, increasing every instant, we could see his face plainly. The anxious. expression it wore at first had passed. It was pale and meek now; and I love to think there was a kind of halo about it, like that which painters place around the forehead of a saint. So he drifted away. 13. The sky grew darker and darker. It was only by straining our eyes through the unnatural twilight that we could keep the Dolphin in sight. The figure of Binny Wallace was no longer visible, for the boat itself had dwindled to a mere dot on the black water. went out like a spark, and we saw it no more. gazed at one another, and dared not speak. Finally it Then we 14. Absorbed in following the course of the boat, we had scarcely noticed the huddled inky clouds that sagged |