What！youain’tagoin’，Mr。Ellery？“
“IthinkImust，Mrs。Prince。“
“Oh，don’t！Dostayaspelllonger。GraciemightcomeandI’dlikeforyoutomeether。Sheneedssympathyandcomfortanawfullot，andthere’snotellin’，youmightconverthertobein’aReg’lar。Oh，yes，youmight。You’vegotthemostpersuadin’way，everybodysaysso。Andyoudon’tknowherverywell，doyou？Landsakesalive！talkaboutangels！Isnumifsheain’tcomin’uptheroadthisblessedminute。“
JohnElleryhadrisen。Nowheseizedhishatandmovedhastilytowardthedoor。Mrs。Princecalledtohimtoremain，buthewouldnot。However，hergood-bysdelayedhimforaminute，andbeforehereachedtheyardgateGracewasopeningit。Theywerefacetofaceforthefirsttimesincetheyhadpartedinthegrove，somanymonthsbefore。
Shewasthinnerandpaler，hesawthat。Anddressedveryquietlyinblack。Shelookedathim，ashestoodbeforeherinthepath，andhercheeksflushedandhereyesfell。Hesteppedasideandraisedhishat。
Shebowedgravelyandmurmureda“Goodafternoon。“Thenshepassedonupthepathtowardthedoor。Hewatchedherforaninstantandthensteppedquicklyafterher。Theblackgownandthetiredlookinhereyestouchedhimtotheheart。Hecouldnotlethergowithoutaword。
Sheturnedatthesoundofhisstepbehindher。
“Er——MissVanHorne，“hestammered，“ImerelywantedtotellyouhowdeeplyI——weallfeelforyouinyourtrouble。I——I——Iamsosorry。“
“Thankyou，“shesaidsimply，andafteramoment’shesitation。
“Imeanitsincerely。I——IdidnotknowCaptainHammondverywell，butIrespectedandlikedhimthefirsttimewemet。Ishallhopethat——that——itisnotsoseriousastheyfear。“
“Thankyou，“shesaidagain。“Weareallhoping。“
“Yes。I——I——“Itwasdreadfullyhardtogetwordstogether。“I
haveheardsomuchofthecaptainfrom——“
“FromAuntKeziah？Yes，shewasNat’swarmestfriend。“
“Iknow。Er——Mrs。Coffintellsmeyouaregoingaway。Ihopeyoumayheargoodnewsandsoon。Ishallthinkofyou——ofhim——I
wantyoutounderstandthatIshall。“
ThedooropenedandEmelineBerryappearedonthethreshold。
“Comerightin，Grace，“shecalled。“Mrs。Princewantsyouto。
She’sahollerin’foryoutohurryup。“
“Good-by，“saidtheminister。
“Good-by。Thankyouagain。Itwasverykindofyoutosaythis。“
“No，no。Imeanit。“
“Iknow；thatwaswhyitwassokind。Good-by。“
Sheheldoutherhandandhetookit。Heknewthathiswastrembling，butso，too，washers。Thehandsfellapart。GraceenteredthehouseandJohnEllerywentoutatthegate。
ThatnightKeziah，inthesittingroom，tryingtoread，butfindingithardtokeephermindonthebook，heardherparsonpacingbackandforthoverthestraw-mattedfloorofhischamber。Shelookedattheclock；itwasnearlytwelve。Sheshutthebookandsighed。
Herwell-meantwordsofconsolationhadbeenamistake，afterall。
SheshouldnothavespokenGraceVanHorne’sname。
CHAPTERXVI
INWHICHTHEMINISTERBOARDSTHESANJOSE
“Hey，Mr。Ellery！“
ItwasCaptainZebMayowhowascalling。Thecaptainsatinhisantiquechaise，drawnbytheantiquewhitehorse，andwashailingtheparsonagethroughaspeakingtrumpetformedbyholdingbothhisbighandsbeforehismouth。Thereinshehadtuckedbetweentheedgeofthedashboardandthewhipsocket。Ifhehadthrownthemonthegroundhewouldstillhavebeenperfectlysafe，withthathorse。
“Mr。Ellery，ahoy！“roaredCaptainZebthroughhishands。
ThewindowofZoethPeters’shouse，nextdoortotheRegularchurch，wasthrownupandMrs。Peters’shead，boundwithablue-
and-whitehandkerchiefinlieuofasweepingcap，wasthrustforthintothecrispMarchair。
“Whatisit，Cap’nMayo？“screamedMrs。Peters。“Hey？“
“Hey？“repeatedCaptainZeb，peeringroundthechaisecurtain。
“Who’sthat？“
“It’sme。Issomebodydead？“
“Who’sme？Oh！No，Hettie，nobody’sdead，thoughI’mlikelytobustabloodvesselifIkeeponyellin’muchlonger。Istheparsontohome？“
“Hey？“
“Oh，heavensalive！Isayis——Ha，thereyoube，Mr。Ellery。
Mornin’，Keziah。“
TheministerandMrs。Coffin，theformerwithanapkininhishand，hademergedfromthesidedooroftheparsonageandnowcamehurryingdowntothegate。
“LandofGoshen！“exclaimedthecaptain，“youdon’tmeantotellmeyouain’tdonebreakfastyet，anditafterseveno’clock。Why，we’rethinkin’aboutdinneruptoourhouse。“
Keziahanswered。“Yes，“shesaid，“Ishouldn’twonder。Yourwifetellsme，Zeb，thattheonlytimeyouain’tthinkin’aboutdinneriswhenyouthinkofbreakfastorsupper。Weain’tsohungryherethatwegetuptoeatinthemiddleofthenight。What’sthematter？HettiePetersishollerin’atyou；didyouknowit？“
“DidIknowit？Tut！tut！tut！I’dknownitifIwasamileaway，’lessIwasparalyzedinmyears。Letherholler；’twilldohergoodandkeepherinpracticeforCome-Outermeetin’。Why，Mr。
Ellery，Itellyou：Em’lousSparrow，thefishpeddler，steppeduptoourhouseafewminutesago。He’sjustcomedownfromtheshantiesoverontheshorebythelight——wherethewreckwas，youknow——andhesaysthere’sa’morphroditebriganchoredthreeorfourmileoffandshe’sflyin’colorsha’fmastanduniondown。
They’regettin’aboat’screwtogethertogoofftoherandseewhat’stherow。I’mgoin’todriveoverandIthoughtmaybeyou’dliketogoalong。Itoldtheoldlady——mywife，Imean——thatI
thoughtofpickin’youupandshesaid’twasagoodidee。Saidmylikin’tocruisewithaparsoninmyoldagewaseitherasignthatIwashopefulorfearful，shedidn’tknowwhich；andeitherwayitoughttobeencouraged。He，he，he！Whatdoyousay，Mr。Ellery？
Wanttogo？“
Theministerhesitated。“I’dliketo，“hesaid。“I’dliketoverymuch。ButIoughttoworkonmysermonthismorning。“
Keziahcutinhere。“Cat’sfoot！“shesniffed。“Letyoursermongoforthisonce，do。Ifitain’tlongenoughasitis，youcanbeginagainwhenyou’vegottotheendandpreachitoveragain。
DidamaRogerssaid，lastcircleday，thatshecouldsetstillandhearyoupreachrightovern’over。I’dgiveherachance，’speciallyifitdidkeepherstill。Keepin’DidamastillisgoodChristianwork，ain’tit，Zeb？“
CaptainMayoslappedhisknee。“He，he，he！“hechuckled。
“Cal’lateyou’reright，Keziah。“
“Indeed，Iam。IbelieveitwouldbeChristianityandIKNOW
’twouldbework。There！there！runinandgetyourcoatandhat，Mr。Ellery。I’llstepacrossandeaseHettie’smindand——andlungs。“
ShewentacrosstheroadtoimpartthenewsofthevesselindistresstothecuriousMrs。Peters。Amomentlatertheminister，havingdonnedhishatandcoat，randownthewalkandclimbedintothechaisebesideCaptainZeb。Thewhitehorse，stimulatedintoacreakyjogtrotbyrepeatedslappingsofthereinsandroarsto“Getunderway！“and“Castoff！“movedalongthesandylane。
Duringthedrivethecaptainandhispassengerdiscussedvarioustopicsoflocalinterest，amongthemCaptainNatHammondandthemannerinwhichhemighthavelosthisshipandhislife。Itwasnowtakenforgranted，inTrumetandelsewhere，thatNatwasdeadandwouldneverbeheardfromagain。Theownershadgivenup，soCaptainZebsaid，andwentontoenumeratethevariousaccidentswhichmighthavehappened——typhoons，waterspouts，fires，andevenattacksbyMalaypirates——though，addedthecaptain，“Gen’rallyspeakin’，I’druthernotbetonanypirategettin’awaywithNatHammond’sship，iftheskipperwasaliveandhealthy。Thenthere’smutinyandfeversandcollisions，andlandknowswhatall。And，speakin’oftrouble，whatdoyoucal’lateailsthatcraftwe’regoin’tolookatnow？“
Theyfoundagrouponthebeachdiscussingthatveryquestion。A
fewfishermen，oneortwolobstermenandwreckers，andthelightkeeperweregatheredontheknollbythelighthouse。Theyhadaspyglass，andagood-sizeddorywasreadyforlaunching。
“Whereisshe，Noah？“askedCaptainZebofthelightkeeper。“Thatheroffbackofthesparbuoy？Letmehaveasquintthroughthatglass；myeyesain’twhattheyusedtobe，whenIcouldseeawhalespouttwomilest’othersideoftheskylineandtellhowmanybarrelsofilehe’dtryout，fustlook。Takespracticetokeepyoureyesightso’syoucanseeroundacurvelikethat，“headded，winkingatEllery。
“She’sabrigantine，Zeb，“observedthekeeper，handingupthespyglass。“Andflyin’theBritishcolors。Look’sifshemightbeoneofthemsaltboatsfromTurk’sIslands。Butwhatshe’sdoin’
outthere，anchored，withcanvasloweredandshowin’distresssignalsinfairweatherlikethis，ismore’nanyofuscanmakeout。Shewa’n’ttherelastevenin’，though，andsheistherenow。“
“Sheain’ttheonlyfunnythingalongshorethismornin’，nuther，“
announcedTheophilusBlack，oneofthefishermen。“CharlieBurgessjustcomedownalongandhesaysthere’saship’slongboathauleduponthebeach，’boutamile’nahalft’othersidethemouthoftheherrin’crickyonder。Oarsinherandall。Andsheain’tnoboatthatb’longsroundhere，isshe，Charlie？“
“No，Thoph，sheain’t，“wasthereply。“Makeanythingoutofher，cap’n？“
CaptainZeb，whohadbeeninspectingtheanchoredvesselthroughthespyglass，loweredthelatterandseemedpuzzled。“Notmuch，“
heanswered。“Blessedifshedon’tlookabandonedtome。Can’tseeasignoflifeaboardher。“
“Wecouldn’tneither，“saidThoph。“Wewasjustcal’latin’togoofftoherwhenCharliecomeandtoldusaboutthelongboat。I
guesslikelywecangonow；it’sprettynighsmoothasapond。
You’lltakeanoar，won’tyou，Noah？“
“Ican’tleavethelightverywell。Mywifewentovertothevillagelastnight。YouandCharlieandBillgo。Wanttogo，too，Zeb？“
“No，I’llstayhere，Iguess。TheoldladymademepromisetokeepmyfeetdryaforeIleftthehouse。“
“Youwanttogo，Mr。Ellery？Lotsofroom。“
Theministerwastempted。Theseaalwayshadafascinationforhimandthemysteryofthestrangeshipwasappealing。
“SureIwon’tbeintheway？“
“No，no！’courseyouwon’t，“saidBurgess。“Comerightalong。Yousetinthebow，ifyoudon’tmindgettin’sprinkledonceinawhile。I’llsteerandThophandBill’llrow。That’llbeenoughforonedory。Ifweneedmore，we’llsignal。Heaveahead。“
Thesurf，thoughlowforthatseasonoftheyear，lookeddangeroustoEllery，buthiscompanionslaunchedthedorywiththeeasewhichcomesofexperience。BurgesstookthesteeringoarandThophand“Bill，“thelatteralobstermanfromWellmouthNeck，benttheirbroadbacksforthelongpull。Thestatementconcerningthepondlikesmoothnessoftheseawassomethingofanexaggeration。
Thedoryclimbedwaveafterwave，longandgreenandoily，atthetopofeachshepoised，tippedandsliddowntheslope。Theminister，curledupinthebowonaratheruncomfortablecushionofanchorandroding，caughtglimpsesoftherecedingshoreoverthecrestsbehind。OneminutehelookeddownintothefaceofBurgess，holdingthesteeringoarinplace，thenextthesternwashighabovehimandhefeltthathewasrecliningonthebackofhisneck。Butalwaystheshouldersoftherowersmovedsteadilyintheshort，deepstrokesoftheroughwateroarsman，andthebeach，withthewhitelightandred-roofedhouseofthekeeper，thegroupbesideit，andCaptainZeb’shorseandchaise，grewsmallerandlessdistinct。
“Humph！“gruntedCharlie。
“What’sthematter？“askedThoph。
Thesteersman，whowasstaringhardinthedirectiontheyweregoing，scowled。
“Humph！“hegruntedagain。“Iswantoman，fellers，IbelievesheISabandoned！“
“Rubbish！“pantedBill，twistinghisnecktolookoverhisshoulder。“’Coursesheain’t！Who’dabandonacraftsuchweather’sthis，andProvince-townharboronlythreehours’runorso？“