Then came the signal from Captain Rothwell to draw in the hawsers, and let the trim vessel glide.
Yes, there were Sir Percival Grandison, young Mistress Lucretia, and Mistress Rosamond Earlscourt, all waving their kerchiefs, and smiling bravely at the young student, who held his sea-cap high above his head, waving it constantly.
Lady Gabrielle had not come to see him sail away. Like unto other mothers at such times, she had not wished to see the lad depart.
On the edge of the crowd stood Sally. Still farther back she went, and not much notice did she take that she was standing near a great wagon that had brought some luggage to the dock, until all at once, from around the other side, she heard a musical voice half sobbing out a prayer:
"O Lorr Gord, do keep de chile f'om all de dangers ob de mighty deep! Doan't let de waves nor de billows be swallerin' ob him up. Keep my babby safe f'om all de mis'ries ob a forr'n land. Dese yere arms has held him troo all kiner sickernesses. Deah Lorr, keep my chile safe—Yah! yah! yah!"
It was Mammy Leezer, who, without stopping to end her prayer in proper shape, had suddenly joined the cheer that went up as the vessel dropped slowly down the stream.
Very still it grew again as the Belle Virgeen drifted off and away, until in the distance the staunch ship grew small, and the figure of a boy standing straight and tall looked like a mere point against the sky.
Sallie's breast heaved and tears filled her eyes.
"Farewell, O Fairy Prince," she sighed, "farewell! I hate to see thee go. I hope to see thee back some day, my Fairy Prince, and ah, what joy would it be, if, without shame, I might sometime meet thee face to face."
"Then away and prepare," cried her Fairy, and without stopping to look back, or even to say a word to Mammy Leezer, Sally went swiftly to the pine woods and began talking to herself again.