“Take her, Mose,” said he in a husky voice. “She’s a faithful creature, and worth a dozen of the new-fangled concerns they have now-a-days. She’s just what a good woman ought to be, for she has more of inward worth than outward beauty, She never wears any other than a cheerful countenance and always keeps her hands busy. Take her, my boy, I had rather give her to you than any one. Whenever you look at her, think how fast time is travelling on to eternity, and may the Lord teach you to so number your days as to apply your heart to wisdom.”
Mose did take the watch, thanking him most sincerely, for he knew the old man’s feelings would be deeply wounded, should he persist in refusing.
“Now Mose, my boy,” he added, “I am going. You needn’t walk home with me, for my heart is full, and I want to shed a few tears by myself. Good bye, and God bless you.” He seized Mose warmly by the hand, and giving it a hearty shake, he turned away, walked quickly up the sands and disappeared in the darkness.
The morning on which Mose was to take his departure had at length arrived. The “Sea Gull,” as handsome a ship as ever rode the waves, lay at anchor in the harbor below. A fine fresh breeze was blowing, and the boat was waiting at the wharf to take Mose and several others on board. Mr. Greyson’s foot was so much worse that he could not go out, and therefore Mose took leave of his parents at the house. He told his father to keep up a good heart and take the best of care of himself till he came home, and then they should all live more comfortably. But Mr. Greyson shook his head with a most melancholy look and turned away as he faintly said, “Good bye.”
Next Mose kissed his mother, and when she lifted her calm, pale face to his, and said so earnestly—“God bless you, my boy, and keep you from all evil”—he could not restrain the tears that were almost choking him, and he had to wipe his eyes a great many times before he dared make his appearance at the door. Capt Clark was waiting for him with his wagon, to take his sea-chest and other things down to the boat. As the wagon was large, they took Hesper and simple Johnny in, and then Capt. Clark called to Juliana, who stood in the door-way with Tommy in her arms, to come too, which she did with as little delay as possible. When all was ready they drove off, while Fred and Charlie, with the Grimsby boys and Bose, followed behind.
They soon came to the wharf, and Capt. Clark took charge of the baggage, leaving Mose to talk with the friends who had come to see him off. Hesper shivered like a leaf as she stood on the wharf, holding simple Johnny by the hand, for the morning was cold, and her heart was heavy within her. She thought how lonely she should be without Mose, and in spite of herself the tears would roll down her cheeks.
“Don’t cry, Hesper!” he said, cheerfully; but there his own heart failed him, and the choking feeling came again. So he only kissed her and, whispered—“Pray for me every night, sister.” Then he jumped into the boat and they pushed off.
“Stop! stop!” cried some one at the head of the wharf, and looking up, they saw Mrs. Grimsby coming in great haste, with a bundle in her hand.
“Here,” she said, as she tossed it to Mose, “is a little package of medicine which I meant to have given you before. There are old linen rags, and salve, and pills, and powders, and anything else you will want, should you be sick, and if you don’t need them, why some one else may.”
“That’s a wise woman,” cried out the Captain of the ship, who stood in the bow of the boat. “Three cheers for the ladies!” and they all took off their hats and hurrahed, which pleased Mrs. Grimsby very much.