with’natomyhidingunderablanket，andLordAdmiralNelson，andafewmorepeopleinthemiddleofthecourtINoIcomehere，asMary，inhereagerness，waslookingatanywindowthatcaughthereyefirst，tosatisfytheboy。“Herethen，now，youcanseeit。Youcansay，now，you’veseenLiverpoolExchange。““Yes，tobesure——it’sabeautifulwindow，I’msure。Butareweneartheboats？I’llstopasIcomeback，youknow；onlyIthinkwe’dbettergetonnow。“Oh!ifthewind’sinyourfavouryou’llbedowntheriverinnotime，andcatchWill，I’llbebound；andifit’snot，why，youknowtheminuteittookyoutolookattheExchangewillbeneitherherenorthere。Anotherrushonwards，tilloneofthelongcrossingsneartheDockscausedastoppage，andgaveMarytimeforbreathing，andCharleyleisuretoaskanotherquestion。“You’veneversaidwhereyoucomefrom？““Manchester，“repliedshe。“Eh，then!you’veapowerofthingstosee。LiverpoolbeatsManchesterhollow，theysay。Anasty，smokyhole，bean’tit？Areyouboundtolivethere？““Oh，yes!it’smyhome。““Well，Idon’tthinkIcouldabideahomeinthemiddleofsmoke。Lookthere!nowyouseetheriver!That’ssomethingnowyou’dgiveagooddealforinManchester。Look!“AndMarydidlook，andsawdownanopeningmadeintheforestofmastsbelongingtothevesselsindock，thegloriousriver，alongwhichwhite-sailedshipswereglidingwiththeensignsofallnations，not“bravingthebattle，“
buttellingofthedistantlands，spicyorfrozen，thatsenttothatmightymartfortheircomfortsortheirluxuries；shesawsmallboatspassingtoandfroonthatglitteringhighway，butshealsosawsuchpuffsandcloudsofsmokefromthecountlesssteamersthatshewonderedatCharley’sintoleranceofthesmokeofManchester。Acrosstheswing-bridge，alongthepier，——andtheystoodbreathlessbyamagnificentdock，wherehundredsofshipslaymotionlessduringtheprocessofloadingandunloading。Thecriesofthesailors，thevarietyoflanguagesusedbythepassers-by，andtheentirenoveltyofthesightcomparedwithanythingwhichMaryhadeverseen，madeherfeelmosthelplessandforlorn；andsheclungtoheryoungguideastoonewhoalonebyhissuperiorknowledgecouldinterpretbetweenherandthenewraceofmenbywhomshewassurrounded，——foranewracesailorsmightreasonablybeconsidered，toagirlwhohadhithertoseennonebutinlanddwellers，andthoseforthegreaterpartfactorypeople。Inthatnewworldofsightandsound，shestillboreoneprevailingthought，andthoughhereyeglancedovertheshipsandthewide-spreadingriver，hermindwasfullofthethoughtofreachingWill。“Whyarewehere？“askedshe，ofCharley。“Therearenolittleboatsabout，andIthoughtIwastogoinalittleboat；thoseshipsarenotmeantforshortdistances，arethey？““Tobesurenot，“repliedhe，rathercontemptuously。ButtheJohnCropperlayinthisdock，andIknowmanyofthesailors；andifIcouldseeoneIknew，I’daskhimtorunupthemast，andseeifhecouldcatchasightofherintheoffing。Ifshe’sweighedheranchor，nouseforyourgoing，youknow。“Maryassentedquietlytothisspeech，asifshewereascarelessasCharleyseemednowtobeaboutherovertakingWill；butintruthherheartwassinkingwithinher，andshenolongerfelttheenergywhichhadhithertoupheldher。Herbodilystrengthwasgivingway，andshestoodcoldandshivering，althoughthenoon-daysunbeatdownwithconsiderablepowerontheshadelessspotwhereshewasstanding。“Here’sTomBourne!“saidCharley，andalteringhismannerfromthepatronisingkeyinwhichhehadspokentoMary，headdressedaweather-beatenoldsailorwhocamerollingalongthepathwaywheretheystood，hishandsinhispockets，andhisquidinhismouth，withverymuchtheairofonewhohadnothingtodobutlookabouthim，andspitrightandleft；addressingthisoldtar，Charleymadeknowntohimhiswishinslang，whichtoMarywasalmostinaudible，andquiteunintelligible，andwhichIamtoomuchofaland-lubbertorepeatcorrectly。Marywatchedlooksandactionswitharenovatedkeennessofperception。ShesawtheoldmanlistenattentivelytoCharley；shesawhimeyeheroverfromheadtofoot，andwinduphisinspectionwithalittlenodofapprobationforherveryshabbinessandpovertyofdresswerecreditablesignstotheexperiencedoldsailor，andthenshewatchedhimleisurelyswinghimselfontoashipinthebasin，and，borrowingaglass，runupthemastwiththespeedofamonkey。“He’llfall!“saidshe，inaffright；clutchingatCharley’sarm，andjudgingthesailor，fromhisstorm-markedfaceandunsteadywalkonland，tobemucholderthanhereallywas。“Nothe!“saidCharley。“He’satthemast-headnow。See!he’slookingthroughhisglass，andusinghisarmsassteadyasifhewereondryland。Why，I’vebeenupthemast，manyandmanyatime；onlydon’ttellmother。ShethinksI’mtobeashoemaker，butI’vemadeupmymindtobeasailor；
onlythere’snogoodarguingwithawoman。You’llnottellher，Mary？““Oh，see!“exclaimedshehissecretwasverysafewithher，for，infact，shehadnotheardit；see!he’scomingdown；he’sdown。Speaktohim，Charley。But，unabletowaitanotherinstant，shecalledoutherself，“CanyouseetheJohnCropper？Isshethereyet？““Aye，aye，“heanswered，andcomingquicklyuptothem，hehurriedthemawaytoseekforaboat，sayingthebarwasalreadycovered，andinanhourtheshipwouldhoisthersails，andbeoff。“You’vethewinrightagainstyou，andmustuseoars。Notimetolose。“Theyrantosomestepsleadingdowntothewater。Theybeckonedtosomewatermen，who，suspectingtherealstateofthecase，appearedinnohurryforafare，butleisurelybroughttheirboatalongthestairs，asifitwereamatterofindifferencetothemwhethertheywereengagedornot，whiletheyconversedtogetherinfewwords，andinanundertone，respectingthechargetheyshouldmake。“Oh，praymakehaste，“calledMary。“IwantyoutotakemetotheJohnCropper。Whereisshe，Charley？Tellthem——Idon’trightlyknowthewords，——onlymakehaste!““Intheoffingsheis，sureenough，miss，“answeredoneofthemen，shovingCharleyononeside，regardinghimastooyoungtobeaprincipalinthebargain。“Idon’tthinkwecango，Dick，“saidhe，withawinktohiscompanion；
“there’sthegentlemanoveratNewBrightonaswantsus。““But，mayhap，theyoungwomanwillpayushandsomeforgivingheralastlookathersweetheart，“interposedtheother。“Oh，howmuchdoyouwant？Onlymakehaste——I’veenoughtopayyou，buteverymomentisprecious，“saidMary。“Aye，thatitis。Lessthananhourwon’ttakeustothemouthoftheriver，andshe’llbeoffbytwoo’clock!“PoorMary’sideasof“plentyofmoney，“however，weredifferenttothoseentertainedbytheboatmenonlyfourteenorfifteenshillingsremainedoutofthesovereignMargarethadlenther，andtheboatmenimagining“plenty“
tomeannolessthanseveralpounds，insisteduponreceivingasovereignanexorbitantfareby-the-way，althoughreducedfromtheirfirstdemandofthirtyshillings。WhileCharley，withaboy’simpatienceofdelay，anddisregardtomoney，kepturging，“Giveit’em，Mary；they’llnoneofthemtakeyouforless。It’syouronlychance。There’sStNicholasringingone!““I’veonlygotfourteenandninepence，“criedshe，indespair，aftercountingoverhermoney；“butI’llgiveyoumyshawl，andyoucansellitforfourorfiveshillings，——oh!won’tthatmuchdo？“askedshe，insuchatoneofvoice，thattheymustindeedhavehadhardheartswhocouldrefusesuchagonizedentreaty。Theytookheronboard。Andinlessthanfiveminutesshewasrockingandtossinginaboatforthefirsttimeinherlife，alonewithtworough，hard-lookingmen。
AHOY!Awetsheetandaflowingsea，AwindthatfollowsfastAndfillsthewhiteandrustlingsail，Andbendsthegallantmast!Andbendsthegallantmast，myboys，While，liketheeaglefree，Awaythegoodshipflies，andleavesOldEnglandonthelee。ALLANCUNNINGHAM。MaryhadnotunderstoodthatCharleywasnotcomingwithher。Infact，shehadnotthoughtaboutit，tillsheperceivedhisabsence，astheypushedofffromthelanding-place，andrememberedthatshehadneverthankedhimforallhiskindinterestinherbehalf；andnowhisabsencemadeherfeelmostlonely——evenhis，thelittlemushroomfriendofanhour’sgrowth。Theboatthreadedherwaythroughthemazeoflargervesselswhichsurroundedtheshore，bumpingagainstone，keptoffbytheoarsfromgoingrightagainstanother，overshadowedbyathird，untilatlengththeywerefairlyoutonthebroadriver，awayfromeithershore；thesightsandsoundsoflandbeingheardinthedistance。Andthencameasortofpause。Bothwindandtidewereagainstthetwomen，andlabourastheywouldtheymadebutlittleway。OnceMaryinherimpatiencehadrisenuptoobtainabetterviewoftheprogresstheyhadmade；butthemenhadroughlytoldhertositdownimmediately，andshehaddroppedonherseatlikeachiddenchild，althoughtheimpatiencewasstillatherheart。ButnowshegrewsuretheywereturningfromthestraightcoursewhichtheyhadhithertokeptontheCheshiresideoftheriver，whithertheyhadgonetoavoidtheforceofthecurrent，andafterashorttimeshecouldnothelpnamingherconviction，asakindofnightmaredreadandbeliefcameoverher，thateverythinganimateandinanimatewasinleagueagainstheronesoleaimandobjectofovertakingWill。Theyansweredgruffly。Theysawaboatmanwhomtheyknew，andweredesirousofobtaininghisservicesasasteersman，sothatbothmightrowwithgreatereffectTheyknewwhattheywereabout。Soshesatsilentwithclenchedhandswhiletheparleywenton，theexplanationwasgiven，thefavouraskedandgranted。Butshewassickeningallthetimewithnervousfear。Theyhadbeenrowingalong，longtime——halfadayitseemed，atleast——yetLiverpoolappearedstillcloseathand，andMarybeganalmosttowonderthatthemenwerenotasmuchdisheartenedasshewas，whenthewind，whichhadbeenhithertoagainstthem，dropped，andthincloudsbegantogatheroverthesky，shuttingoutthesun，andcastingachillygloomovereverything。Therewasnotabreathofair，andyetitwascolderthanwhenthesoftviolenceofthewesterlywindhadbeenfelt。Themenrenewedtheirefforts。Theboatgaveaboundforwardsateverypulloftheoars。Thewaterwasglassyandmotionless，reflectingtintbytintoftheIndian-inkskyabove。Maryshivered，andherheartsankwithinher。Stillnowtheyevidentlyweremakingprogress。Thenthesteersmanpointedtoaripplingmeintheriveronlyalittlewayoff，andthemendisturbedMary，whowaswatchingtheshipsthatlayinwhatappearedtohertheopensea，togetattheirsails。Shegavealittlestart，androse。Herpatience，hergrief，andperhapshersilence，hadbeguntowinuponthemen。“YonsecondtothenorrardistheJohnCropper。Wind’srightnow，andsailswillsooncarryusalongsideofher。“HehadforgottenorperhapshedidnotliketoremindMary，thatthesamewindwhichnowboretheirlittlecraftalongwitheasy，rapidmotion，wouldalsobefavourabletotheJohnCropper。Butastheylookedwithstrainingeyes，asiftomeasurethedecreasingdistancethatseparatedthemfromher，theysawhersailsunfurledandflapinthebreeze，till，catchingtherightpoint，theybelliedforthintowhiteroundness，andtheshipbegantoplungeandheave，asifshewerealivingcreature，impatienttobeoff。“They’reheavinganchor!“saidoneoftheboatmentotheother，asthefaintmusicalcryofthesailorscamefloatingoverthewatersthatstillseparatedthem。Fullofthespiritofthechase，thoughasyetignorantofMary’smotive，themensprungtohoistanothersail。Itwasfullyasmuchastheboatcouldbear，inthekeen，gustyeastwindwhichwasnowblowing，andshebent，andlaboured，andploughed，andcreakedupbraidinglyasiftaxedbeyondherstrength；butshespedalongwithagallantswiftness。Theydrewnearer，andtheyheardthedistant“ahoy“moreclearly。Itceased。
Theanchorwasup，andtheshipwasaway。Marystoodup，steadyingherselfbythemast，andstretchedoutherarms，imploringtheflyingvesseltostayitscourse，bythatmuteaction，whilethetearsstreameddownhercheeks。Themencaughtuptheiroars，andhoistedthemintheair，andshoutedtoarrestattention。Theywereseenbythemenaboardthelargercraft；buttheyweretoobusywithalltheconfusionprevalentinanoutward-boundvesseltopaymuchattention。Therewerecoilsofropesandseamen’scheststobestumbledoverateveryturn；therewereanimals，notproperlysecured，roamingbewilderedaboutthedeck，addingtheirpitifullowingsandbleatingstotheaggregateofnoises。Therewerecarcasesnotcutup，lookinglikecorpsesofsheepandpigsratherthanlikemuttonandpork；thereweresailorsrunninghereandthereandeverywhere，havinghadnotimetofallintomethod，andwiththeirmindsdividedbetweenthoughtsofthelandandthepeopletheyhadleft，andthepresentdutiesonboarship；whilethecaptainstrovehardtoprocuresomekindoforderbyhastycommandsgiven，inaloud，impatientvoice，torightandleft，starboardandlarboard，cabinandsteerage。Ashepacedthedeckwithachafedstep，vexedatoneortwolittlemistakesontheartofthemate，andsufferinghimselffromthepainofseparationfromwifeandchildren，butshowinghissufferingonlybyhisoutwardirritation，heheardahailfromtheshabbylittleriverboatthatwasstrivingtoovertakehiswingedship。Forthemenfearingthat，astheshipwasnowfairlyoverthebar，theyshouldonlyincreasethedistancebetweenthem，andbeingnowwithinshoutingrange，hadaskedofMaryhermoreparticulardesire。Herthroatwasdry，allmusicalsoundhadgoneoutofhervoice；butinaloud，harshwhispershetoldthemenhererrandoflifeanddeath，andtheyhailedtheship。