Glancing up from his work presently, the fisherman saw three figures come down to the beach—a lady, a gentleman, and a small boy clad in a sailor's suit and broad-brimmed straw hat. He knew them to be Mr. and Mrs. Fowler and their little son. He had often held lengthy conversations with Gerald, who was always delighted to talk with anyone who could tell him about the manifold wonders of the sea, but he had never spoken to either of the boy's parents. Despite his disapproval of the strict teetotal principles of the master of Greystone, he regarded that gentleman with considerable interest, and when Mr. Fowler strolled up to him, and inquired from whom a boat might be hired, he answered him civilly, "You can have a boat from me, if you like, sir; but there's no wind for sailing to-day."
"Perhaps you would row us around those high rocks yonder. My wife has a fancy to see what lies beyond that point."
Josiah assented willingly, seeing an opportunity of earning a few shillings; and so it came to pass that he spent a very pleasant and lucrative morning, returning home to dinner in the best of spirits.
"The new folks at Greystone have a liking for boating," he informed Salome; "and see here," tossing a half-crown as he spoke upon the table, "give that to Silas Moyle when he calls with the bread this afternoon."
The lame girl's face brightened as she took up the coin, and looked at her father questioningly.
"I saw Mr. and Mrs. Fowler and Master Gerald pass here on their way to the beach," she said. "Did you take them out in your boat, father?"
"Yes. They treated me very fairly, I must admit that, an' Mrs. Fowler—she seems a nice lady—spoke of you."
"Did she?"
"She said you had a lovely voice, an' that she was looking forward to hear you sing again. I say, Salome, I shouldn't like to disappoint her, so if she really wants you to go and see her, you may—" and Josiah, mindful of all he had said on the preceding night, avoided meeting his little daughter's eyes as he made this concession.
"Oh, thank you, dear father," she cried. "I should like to go to Greystone so much."