CHAPTERXV
INWHICHTRUMETTALKSOFCAPTAINNAT
Summerwasover，autumncame，passed，anditwaswinter——JohnEllery’sfirstwinterinTrumet。Fishweirsweretakenup，thebayfilledwithice，thepacketceasedtorun，andthevillagesettleddowntohibernateuntilspring。Thestagecamethroughonitsregulartrips，exceptwhensnoworslushrenderedtheroadsimpassable，butpassengerswereveryfew。Occasionallytherewerenortheastgales，withshriekingwinds，drivinggustsofsleetandhailandasurfalongtheoceansidethatbellowedandroaredandtorethesandybeachintonewshapes，washingawayshoalsandbuildingothers，blockingthemouthofthelittleinletwherethefishboatsanchoredandopeninganewchannelahundredyardsfartherdown。Twicetherewerewrecks，oneofafishingschooner，thecrewofwhichwerefortunateenoughtoescapebytakingtothedories，andanother，aBritishbark，whichstruckonthefarthestbarandwasbeatentopiecesbythegreatwaves，whilethetownspeoplestoodhelplesslywatchingfromtheshore，forlaunchingaboatinthatsurfwasimpossible。
Theministerwasoneofthosewhowatched。Newsofthedisasterhadbeenbroughttothevillagebythelightkeeper’sassistant，andElleryandmostoftheable-bodiedmenintownhadtrampedthethreemilestothebeach，facingthescreamingwindandthecuttingblastsofflyingsand。Astheycameoverthedunesthereweretimeswhentheyhadtodigtheirheelsintothegroundandbendforwardtostandagainstthefreezinggale。And，astheydrewnearer，thethunderofthemightysurfgreweverlouder，untiltheysawthewhitecloudsofsprayleaphighabovethecrazilytossing，flappingbunchesofbeachgrassthattoppedthelastknoll。
Threemastsandabrokenbowspritstickingslantwiseupfromawhirlofcreamywhite，thatwasalltheycouldseeofthebark，atfirstglance。Butoccasionally，asthebreakersdrewbackforanothercruelblow，theycaughtglimpsesofthetilteddeck，smashedbareofhousesandrail。
“Thoseblackthingsonthemasts？“askedEllery，bendingtoscreamthequestionintotheearofGaiusWinslow，hiscompanion。“Arethey——itcan’tbepossiblethatthey’re——“
“Yup，“shriekedGaiusinreply，“they’remen。Crewlashedintheriggin’。Poorfellers！it’llsoonbeoverfor’em。Andthey’remostlikelyfrozenstiffa’readyandwon’tsensedrownin’，that’sacomfort。“
“Men！“repeatedtheministerinhorror。Men！GreatGod！andarewetostandbyhereandseethemdiewithoutliftingahand？Why，it’sbarbarous！It’s——“
Winslowseizedhisarmandpointed。
“Look！“heshouted。“Lookatthem！Howmuchgoodwouldourliftin’handsdoagainstthem？“
Ellerylooked。Theundertow，thatsecond，wassuckingthebeachdry，suckingwithsuchforcethatgravelandsmallstonespattereddowntheslopeinshowers。Andbehinditawave，itsraggedtopraveledbythewindintowhitestreamers，waspilingup，up，up，sheerandgreenandmighty，curlingovernowanddescendingwithahammerblowthatshookthelandbeneaththeirfeet。Andbackofitrearedanother，andanother，andanother，aneighthofamileofwhirling，surging，terrificbreakers，withayellinghurricanewhippingthemon。
Itwassoonover，asGaiushadsaiditwouldbe。Amightyleapofspray，asectionofhullbrokenoffandtossedintoviewforaninstant，thentwoofthemastswentdown。Theotherfollowedalmostatonce。Thenthewatchers，mostofthem，wentbacktothevillage，sayinglittleornothinganddispersingsilentlytotheirhomes。
DuringthenextfortnightJohnElleryconductedsixfuneralservices，briefprayersbesidethegravesofunknownmenfromthatwreck。Thebodies，astheywerewashedashore，wereputintoplaincoffinspaidforbytheboardofselectmen，andburiedinthecorneroftheRegularcemeterybesideotherwaifsthrownupbytheseainotheryears。Itwasasadexperienceforhim，butitwasanexperienceandtendedtomakehimforgethisownsorrowjustalittle。Or，ifnottoforget，atleasttothinkofandsympathizemorekeenlywiththesorrowsofothers。Somewhere，inEnglandorIrelandorscatteredoverthewideworld，therewerewomenandchildrenwaitingforthesemen，waitinganxiouslyfornewsoftheirsafearrivalinport，prayingforthem。Whenhementionedthisthoughttothetownspeopletheynoddedphilosophicallyandsaidyes，they“presumedlikely。“AsCaptainZebputit，“Mostsailorsarefoolsenoughtogetmarried，prob’lythislotwa’n’tanyexception。“Itwasnonewthoughttohimortoanyotherdwellerinthatregion。Itwasalmostafixedcertaintythat，ifyouwenttosealongenough，youwereboundtobewreckedsometimeorother。
Thechanceswerethat，withordinaryluckandgoodmanagement，youwouldescapewithyourlife。Luck，goodorbad，wastheriskofthetrade；goodmanagementwasexpected，asamatterofcourse。
Mr。Peppermadenomorecallsattheparsonage，andwhentheministermethim，atchurchorelsewhere，seemedanxioustoavoidaninterview。
“Well，Abishai，“askedEllery，ononeoftheseoccasions，“howareyougettingonathome？Hasyoursisterlockedyouupagain？“
“No，sir，sheain’t，“repliedKyan。“Laviny，she’ssortofdiff’rentlately。Sheain’tnighso——sodownonafellerassheusedtobe。Icangetoutonceinawhilebymyselfnowadays，whenshewantstowritealetterorsomethin’。“
“Oh，she’swritingletters，isshe？“
“Um——hm。Writesoneabouteveryonceinaweek。Idon’tknowwhothey’reto，nuther，butIhavemysuspicions。Yousee，we’vegotacousinoutWest——outPennsylvanyway——andheain’tverywellandhasgotaturriblelotofmoney。I’msortofsurmisin’thatLaviny’swritin’tohim。We’reabouthisonlyrelationsthat’sleftaliveand——andso——“
“Isee。“Theministersmiled。
“Yup。Laviny’saprettygoodnavigator，fur’skeepin’aneyetowind’ardisconcerned。ShewasawfuldownonPhineas——that’shisname——’causehemarriedaPhiladelphywoman，buthe’sawidowermannow，soIs’poseshefeelsbettertowardhim。She’stalkin’ofgoin’uptoSandwichprettysoon。“
“SheIS？Alone？“
“Soshesays。“
“Toleaveyouhere？Why！well，I’msurprised。“
“Godfreysmighty！sobeI。Butshesayssheb’lievessheneedsachangeandthere’schurchconferenceupthere，youknow，andshefiggersthatsheain’tbeentoconferenceshedon’tknowwhen。I
s’poseyou’llgo，won’tyou，Mr。Ellery？“
“Probably。“
“Um——hm。IkindofwishtIwasgoin’myself。’Twillbekindoflonesomeroundhomewithouther。“
ConsideringthatthatvarietyoflonesomenesshadbeenAbishai’sdreamofparadiseforyears，EllerythoughthischangeofheartagoodjokeandtoldKeziahofitwhenhereturnedtotheparsonage。
Thehousekeeperwasgreatlysurprised。
“Well！well！well！“sheexclaimed。“Miracles’llnevercease。I
don’twondersomuchatLavinywantin’togotoconference，butherdarin’togoandleaveKyanathomeispastbelief。Why，everytimeshe’shadacoldheronefearwasthatshe’ddieandleave’Bishbehindtobekidnapedbysomewoman。Kyanhimselfwassickonce，andthestorywasthathissistersetsideofthebednightanddayandreadhimoverandoveragainthatchapterintheBiblethatsaysthere’snomarryin’orgivin’inmarriageinheaven。Dr。
Parkertoldmethathedidn’tbelieve’Bishgotha’fthecomfortoutofthatpassagethatshedid。Andnowshe’sgoin’toSandwichandleavehim。Ican’tthinkit’strue。“
Butitwastrue，andLaviniagotherselfelectedadelegateandwent，incompanywithCaptainElkanah，Mrs。Mayo，andothers，totheconference。Shewasafaithfulattendantatthemeetingsandseemedtobehavingaverygoodtime。SheintroducedtheministertooneCalebPratt，aresidentofSandwich，whomshesaidshehadknowneversinceshewasagirl。
“Mr。Pratt’sacousintoThankfulPayneovertohome，“volunteeredLavinia。“YouknowThankful，Mr。Ellery。“
EllerydidknowMrs。Payneandsaidso。Mr。Pratt，whowasdressedinanewsuitofblackwhichappearedtohurthim，impartedtheinformationthathe’dheardtellconsider’bleofMr。Ellery。
“Ienjoyedyoursermonto-nightfust——rate，“headdedsolemnly。
“Fust——rate，sir——yes。“
“Didyou，indeed？I’mglad。“
“Yes，sir。YouusedwordsinthatsermonthatIneverheardaforeinmylife。’Twasgrand。“
LaviniaconfidedtoherpastorthatMr。PrattmadethebestshoesinOstableCounty。HecouldfitANYkindoffeet，shedeclared，andtheministeroughttotryhimsometime。Sheaddedthathehadmoneyinthebank。
TheReverendJohnrodehomeinthestagebesideMissAnnabel，notfromchoice，butbecausetheyounglady’sfatherinsisteduponit。
MissDanielsgushedandenthusedasshealwaysdid。AstheydrovebytheCornerstheminister，whohadbeenreplyingabsentlytoAnnabel’squestions，suddenlystoppedshortinthemiddleofasentence。Hiscompanion，leaningforwardtolookoutofthewindow，sawGraceVanHorneenteringthestore。ForaninstantAnnabel’sfaceworeaveryunpleasantexpression。Thenshesmiledandsaid，inhersweetestmanner：
“Why，there’sthetaverngirl！Ihaven’tseenherforsometime。
Howoldshelooks！Isupposeheruncle’sdeathhasagedher。
Well，she’llbemarriedsoon，justassoonasCap’nNatgetsback。
Theyperfectlyworshipeachother，thosetwo。Theysayshewriteshimthelongestletters。HannahPoundberrytoldme。Hannah’saqueercreatureandcommon，butdevotedtotheHammonds，Mr。Ellery。
However，you’renotinterestedinCome-Outers，areyou？Ha，ha！“
Ellerymadesomesortofananswer，buthecouldnothavetoldwhatitwas。ThesightofGracehadbroughtbackallthathewastryingsohardtoforget。Whycouldn’toneforget，whenitwassopainful——andsouseless——toremember？
Springoncemore；thensummer。AndnowpeoplewereagainspeakingofCaptainNatHammond。Hisshipwasoverdue，longoverdue。Eveninthosedays，whentherewerenocablesandthetelegraphwasstillsomethingofanovelty，wordofhisarrivalshouldhavereachedTrumetmonthsbeforethis。Butithadnotcome，anddidnot。Beforethesummerwasover，thewiseheadsoftheretiredskipperswereshakingdubiously。SomethinghadhappenedtotheSeaMist，somethingserious。
Astheweeksandmonthswentbywithoutnewsofthemissingvessel，thisbeliefbecamealmostacertainty。AttheCome-Outerchapel，whereEzekielBassettnowpresided，prayerswereofferedforthesonoftheirformerleader。Theseprayerswerenotasferventastheymighthavebeen，forGrace’snonattendanceatmeetingswascausingmuchcommentandagooddealofresentment。Shecameoccasionally，butnotoften。“Ialwayssaidshewasstuck-upandthoughtshewastoogoodfortherestofus，“remarked“SukeyB。“
spitefully。“’And，betweenyouandme，pasayshethinksNatHammondwouldbeonetoupholdherinit。Hewa’n’tabitspirituousandneverexperiencedreligion。IfanythingHAS
happenedtohim，it’sapunishmentsent，that’swhatpathinks。“
Thoseweregloomydaysattheparsonage。Keziahsaidlittleconcerningthetopicofwhichallthevillagewastalking，andJohnElleryforeboretomentionit。Thehousekeeperwasasfaithfulaseverintheperformanceofherhouseholdduties，buthersmilehadgoneandshewaswornandanxious。Theministerlongedtoexpresshissympathy，butKeziahhadnotmentionedNat’snameformonths，notsincehe，Ellery，gaveherthemessageintrustedtohimbythecaptainbeforesailing。HewouldhavelikedtoaskaboutGrace，forheknewMrs。CoffinvisitedtheHammondhomeoccasionally，butthis，too，hehesitatedtodo。Heheardfromothersthatthegirlwasbearingthesuspensebravely，thatsherefusedtogiveuphope，andwaswinningtherespectofallthethinkingclassinTrumetbyhercourageandpatience。EventhemostbigotedoftheRegulars，CaptainDanielsandhisdaughterexceptedofcourse，hadcometospeakhighlyofher。“She’saspunkygirl，“declaredCaptainZeb，withemphasis。“There’snothingofthemilk-sopandcry-babyabouther。She’sfittobeasailor’swife，andIonlyhopeNat’salivetocomebackandmarryher。Hewasadurngoodfeller，too——savin’
yourpresence，Mr。Ellery——andifhewasfortytimesaCome-OuterI’dsaythesamething。I’m’fraidhe’sgone，though，poorchap。
Asgoodaseamanashewaswouldhavefetchedportaforethisifhewasatopofwater。AsforGracie，she’sabrick，andalady，everyinchofher。Myoldgirlwentdownt’otherdaytocallonherandthat’sthefustCome-Outershe’sbeentoseesencetherewasany。