Harry refrained from making another trip in the _Nancy_, though he told
Adam Halliburt that he had hoped to do so. He seldom, however, caught
sight of the blue sea in his rides without wishing to be upon it.
One day he and Algernon, on a ride over the downs, passed near the old
mill. Miles Gaffin was standing at the door, while behind him, tugging
at a sack, was his man, whose countenance appeared to Harry, as he
caught sight of it for a moment, one of the most surly and ill-favoured
he had ever set eyes on. "No wonder the farmers prefer sending their
corn to a distance to having it ground by such a couple," he thought.
The miller took off his hat as he saw the lads. Algernon scarcely
noticed the salute.
"I am sorry, young gentlemen, not to have had the pleasure of giving you
a trip in my lugger," said the miller, in a frank, off-hand tone. "If,
however, you and your brother are disposed to come, we will run down the
coast to Harwich, or to any other place you would like to visit, and I
will guarantee not to get you into such a mess as old Halliburt did, I
understand, the other day."
"Thank you," said Harry, "my brother has no fancy for the salt water,
and as I shall be off again to sea shortly, I cannot avail myself of
your offer."
"Did any one advise you not to go on board my craft?" asked Gaffin,
suddenly.
Harry hesitated.
"Adam Halliburt offered to take me a trip, and as Mr Groocock thought I
should prefer the _Nancy_ to any other craft, I arranged to go with
him," he said at length.
"Ah, I guessed how it was. My neighbours are apt to say unpleasant
things about me. Mr Groocock told you I was not a man to be trusted,
didn't he?"
"My brother has said that he preferred the fisherman's boat," said
Algernon, coming to Harry's assistance, "and I consider that you have no
right to ask further why he declined your offer. Good-day to you, sir;
come along, Harry," and Algernon rode on.
"Proud young cock, he crows as loudly as his father was wont to do,"
muttered the miller, casting an angry glance at the young gentlemen; "I
shall have my revenge some day."
"I do not like the look of that fellow," observed Algernon, when they
had got out of earshot of the mill. "I am glad you did not go on board
his vessel."
"He seems rather free and easy in his manners, and his tone wasn't quite
respectful, but I suppose his pride was hurt because I chose another
man's boat instead of his," answered Harry.
"You did not observe the scowl on his countenance when he spoke," said
Algernon.
Algernon evidently possessed the valuable gift of discernment of
character which some can alone gain by long experience.
The family party were separating one morning after breakfast, when, the
front door standing open on that warm summer day, Harry, as he passed
through the hall, caught sight of Dame Halliburt approaching with her
basket of fish, accompanied by the blue-eyed little girl he had seen
when landing from the _Nancy_.
"Come here, Julia," he exclaimed. "Does not that sturdy fishwife with
her little daughter trotting along by her side present a pretty picture?
I wish an artist were here to take them as we see them now."
"Yes, Gainsborough would do them justice. He delights in rustic
figures, though the child should have bare feet, and I see she has shoes
and stockings on," answered Julia.
"The little girl would, at all events, make a sweet picture in her red
cloak and hat," observed Miss Pemberton, who with her sister as they
crossed the hall had heard Harry's exclamation, and had come to the
door; and she described her to Miss Mary.
"I should like to speak to her. I can always best judge of people when
I hear their voices," observed Miss Mary.
Harry proposed asking Dame Halliburt and the little girl to come up to
the porch, but they had by this time passed on towards the back
entrance.
"The dame is probably in a hurry to sell her fish and to go on her way,"
observed Miss Pemberton. "We will talk to her another time."
"Come, Harry, madame is ready to give you your French lesson," said
Julia, and they went into the house.
Before luncheon Madame De La Motte proposed taking a walk.
"And we will talk French as we proceed. You shall learn as much as you
will from your books," she said, inviting Harry to accompany her and her
pupil. Harry gallantly expressed his pleasure, and they set out to take
a ramble through the fields in the direction of Hurlston.
They had got to some distance, and were about to turn back, when they
saw in the field beyond them the same little girl in the red cloak who
had come with Dame Halliburt to the house.
Two paths branched off at the spot she had just reached. She stood
uncertain apparently which to take, when, at that instant, a bull
feeding in the field, irritated by the sight of her red cloak, began to
paw the ground and lower his head as if about to make a rush at her.
The child becoming alarmed uttered a cry, and ran in the direction of
the gate near which they were standing. Harry leaped over the gate and
hurried to her rescue. Seeing him coming she darted towards him.
"Throw off your cloak," he shouted.
She was too much frightened to follow his advice. The bull was close
upon them when Harry reached her, and in an instant tearing off her
cloak he threw it at the bull, and lifting her in his arms darted on one
side, while the savage animal rushed over the spot where the moment
before they had stood, and catching the cloak on its horns threw it over
its head, and then stopping in its course looked round in search of the
object at which it was aiming. Seeing Harry running off with the little
girl, it again rushed at them. He had just time to lift her over the
gate, and to spring after her, when the creature came full tilt against
it.
The courage of Madame De La Motte and Julia had given way as they saw
the bull coming, and believing that the gate would be broken down, they
had run for safety to a high bank with a hedge above it a little on one
side of the field.
"You are quite safe now, little girl," said Harry, trying to reassure
the child. "See, though the bull knocked his horns against the gate, he
could not throw it down, and is going off discomforted. Come, Julia,
and help her," he shouted; "she has been dreadfully frightened, and not
without cause."
Julia and her governess, feeling a little ashamed of themselves,
descended from their safe position.
"I hope you are not hurt; but how came you to be in the field by
yourself?" asked Julia, addressing the little girl.
"Mother told me to take the path across the fields while she went round
by the road to call at some houses," she answered.
"To whom do you belong, and what is your name?" asked madame, looking
admiringly at the child's delicate and pretty features.
"I belong to Adam Halliburt, and he calls me his Maiden May," answered
the child.
"Maiden May! that is a very pretty name," observed Madame. "But you are
very young to go so far alone."
"We must not let you go alone," said Harry; "I will take care of you
till you meet your mother, but I will first get your cloak. I see the
bull has left it on the grass, and I hope has not injured it."
"Take care, Harry," exclaimed Julia, "the bull might run at you if he
sees you in the field."
"I do not mind running away from him, and I suspect I can run the
fastest," answered Harry, laughing, as he leapt over the gate.
Julia and Madame De La Motte watched him anxiously, not more so,
however, than did Maiden May.
"Oh, I hope he will not be hurt, I would much rather lose my cloak," she
said, following him with her eyes.
The bull having gone to a distance, Harry was able to reach the little
girl's cloak, and by keeping it in front of him the animal did not catch
sight of it, and he soon returned with his prize.
"If you will come to the hall we will send one of the servants with
you," said Julia.
"No, no," said Harry, "you go back, as you must be in at luncheon, and I
will take care of the little girl."
"Thank you, thank you," repeated Maiden May, "but I am not afraid."
Harry, however, with true chivalry, though the object of his attention
was but a little fisher-girl, insisted on escorting her, and at length
induced his sister and her governess to return, promising to hurry back
as soon as he had placed the child under Dame Halliburt's care.
They soon found the style which led into the path May should have
followed. She took Harry's hand without hesitation, and as she ran
along by his side, prattled with a freedom which perfect confidence
could alone have given her. She talked of the time he had been off in
the _Nancy_, and how anxious she had felt lest any harm should befall
the boat.
"And you are very fond of the sea?" she said, looking up in his face.
"Yes; I am a sailor, and it is my duty to go to sea, and I love it for
itself," said Harry; "I hope as you live close to it that you love it
too."
"Oh no, no, no," answered May; "I do not love it, for it's so cruel, it
drowns so many people. I can't love what is cruel."
"It could not be cruel to you, I am sure," said Harry. "Does your
father ever take you in his boat?"
"Yes, I have been in the boat, I know, but it was a long, long time ago,
and I have been on the sea far, far away."
She stopped as if she had too indistinct a recollection of the events
that had occurred to describe them.
Harry was puzzled to understand to what she alluded, and naturally
fancied that she spoke of some trip her father had taken her on board
his boat, not doubting, of course, that she was the fisherman's
daughter.
In a short time they caught sight of Dame Halliburt, when Harry,
delivering Maiden May to her care, without waiting to receive her thanks
hurried homewards as he had promised.