“There goes the temptation,” said he. “I didn’t know before that you was a professor of religion.”
“No more I ain’t, nor a possessor either; wish I was; but I mean to keep the Lord’s day; I’ll do that much, any way.”
“I know you’re right, Sally; but you must make some allowance for a feller who has been so long at sea, and couldn’t keep it, if he would, as people can ashore. Suppose a hawk was carrying off a chicken on the Sabbath—wouldn’t you let me shoot it?”
“No, I’m sure I wouldn’t; but if an eagle was carrying off a baby, I would.”
This was the first and only time Ben ever took the gun down on the Sabbath. They made it a day of rest.
They had some good books, and one Sally’s mother had given her, which she was very fond of reading, called “Hooks and Eyes for Christian’s Breeches.” It was a queer title, but a very good book. In those days people did not wear suspenders, but kept their breeches up by buttoning the waistband, or by a belt. Where people were well-formed, and had good hips, they would keep up very well; but when they were all the way of a bigness, or were careless and didn’t button their waistbands tight, they would slip down; so some had hooks and eyes to keep them up, and prevent this by hooking them to the waistcoat. Thus this book was designed for those slouching, careless Christians who needed hooks and eyes to their breeches, and were slack in their religious duties.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE BRIDAL CALL.
Parents and friends of the new-married pair had watched with no small anxiety their progress through the squall. During the height of it, they could see the canoe when it rose upon the top of a wave; as it disappeared in a trough of the sea, the widow clasped her hands convulsively, and gave them up for lost.
“They are safe,” cried Captain Rhines, drawing a long breath; “they’ve got under the lee of the island. John, run to the house and get my spy-glass.”