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into the string-piece of the wharf, and sending the Dolphin half a dozen yards towards the current.

8. 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 waterline.

9. 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 along-shore..

10. 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 fairy boat down a river, like a dream..

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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 mixtures was ready for our clam-shell saucers.

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15. 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!

16. 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.

17. 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 froin 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.

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18. "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."

19. By an oversight, the lemons had been left in the boat. Binny Wallace volunteered to go for them.

20. “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."

21. "That it would," answered Binny, scrambling down the rocks.

22. 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!"

23. We sprang to our feet and hastened down to the beach. On turning the bluff which hid the mooring-place from view, we found the conjecture correct. Not only was the Dolphin afloat, but poor little Binny Wallace was standing in the bows with his arms stretched helplessly towards us, drifting out to sea!

24. "Head the boat in shore!" shouted Phil Adams. Wallace ran to the tiller; but the slight cockle-shell

THE CRUISE OF THE DOLPHIN.

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merely swung round and drifted broadside on. O, if we had but left a single scull in the Dolphin

25. "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.

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. The sky darkened, and an ugly look stole rapidly over the broken surface of the sea.

29. 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 the painters place around the forehead of a saint. So he drifted away.

T. B. Aldrich.

EXERCISE.

1. We stood on the wharf inspecting the Dolphin.

2. "Guess you

'll have a squally time of it," said Charley.

3. He cast off the painter. [Rope used to fasten the boat.]

4. How calm and lovely the river was!

5. Not a ripple stirred on the glassy surface.

6. The sun was peering above the water-line.

7. A little breeze shook the spangles from the foliage.

8. It took us an hour or two to transport our stores.

9. We strolled along the beach and gathered moss.

10. We sprang to our feet and hastened down to the beach.
11. On turning the bluff we found the conjecture correct.
12. I think he meditated plunging into the ocean.

LVII.

HR

FARMER JOHN.

I.

OME from his journey, Farmer John Arrived this morning, safe and sound; His black coat off, and his old clothes on,

"Now I'm myself," said Farmer John; And he thinks, "I'll look around." Up leaps the dog: "Get down, you pup! Are you so glad you would eat me up?" The old cow lows at the gate, to greet him; The horses prick up their ears, to meet him. "Well, well, old Bay!

Ha, ha, old Gray!

Do you get good feed when I'm away?

II.

"You haven't a rib," says Farmer John;
"The cattle are looking round and sleek;
The colt is going to be a roan,

And a beauty, too; how he has grown!
We'll wean the calf in a week."
Says Farmer John, "When I've been off,
To call you again about the trough,
And watch you and pet you while you
Is a greater comfort than you can think!"
And he pats old Bay

And he slaps old Gray;

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"Ah! this is the comfort of going away.

III.

"For, after all," says Farmer John,

drink,

"The best of a journey is getting home:
I've seen great sights, but I would not give
This spot, and the peaceful life I live,
For all their Paris and Rome;

These hills for the city's stifled air,
And big hotels and bustle and glare;

Land all houses and roads all stones,

That deafen your ears and batter your bones ! Would you, old Bay?

Would you, old Gray?

That's what one gets by going away.

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