Notely put up sail and skirted the shore with his boat till he came to the waters of the Basin. Then he looked out eagerly, but Vesty was not on the banks waiting.
"Was there ever a Basin known to be on time?" he muttered, smiling and flushing too. He was always jealous of her.
He made fast his boat and sprang with light steps over the sea-wall.
Here was a good sign; so the Basins held. No sign so propitious to a love affair as meeting with one of God's innocent ones—a "natural." And here was Dr. Spearmint (Uncle Benny) leading the children to school—the very little ones. They clung to him, and one he carried.
And he was singing, in a sweet, high voice:
"We all have our trials here below,
Sail away to Galilee!
****
There's a tree I see in Paradise,
Sail away to Galilee!
****
Sail away to Galilee,
Sail away to Galilee,
Put on your long white robe of peace,
And sail away to Galilee!"
"Hello! Uncle Benny—'Dr. Spearmint'"—he liked that best. "Well, how are you? how are you? and have you seen Vesty this morning?"
"Fluke and Gurd 's keepin' company with her this mornin'," said Dr. Spearmint, in a voice softer than a woman's. "I jest stopped to sing a little with 'em on the way. I look dreadful," he added, rather ostentatiously fingering a light blue necktie.
"Oh, no, doctor; fine as usual," exclaimed Notely, anger in his soul, but with heart-broken eyes.
"I suppose," said the soft, sweet voice, "there 's a great deal o' passin' in New York, ain't there?"