"Guess Nature'll make rumpus enough for ye before long," returned the captain. "You've never tried it up on this hill, Eliza. I guess when the pebbles and rocks begin draggin' around below there at high tide, you won't miss the elevated trains none."
The horse was climbing slowly and patiently as they talked, and a woman within the old farmhouse was watching the ascent from a window. Now the watcher disappeared, and presently the house door opened and a figure came out on the stone step.
"There's Mrs. Wright now. Git ap, Tom."
A gleam came into Eliza's pale eyes. It was an attractive figure that stood there in dark blue gown and white apron. The silver aureole of hair framed a smiling face. Eliza grasped the handles of Pluto's basket.
"To think that after all the years I should have a homecoming on this island!" was her grateful thought.
"Here we are," called Captain James cheerfully as they approached; "little box, big box, bandbox, and bundle, and the cat."
Mrs. Wright approached as the carry-all stopped.
"Did you really bring a cat, Eliza?" she asked, laughing.
"Why,—why," stammered Eliza, "it never once came to me till this minute that perhaps you don't like cats!"
"I like everything alive," was the response; and the speaker looked it, as she received the cat-basket, and Eliza stepped out on the grass.