Hills questioning the heavens for light --
Ravines too deep to scan!
As if the wild earth mimicked there
The wilder heart of man;
Only it shall be greener far
And gladder, than hearts ever are.
E. B. BROWNING.
It was the first of June; a fair lovely summer morning, June-
like.
"I suppose Mr. Haye will come with them," said Mr. Landholm,
as he pushed back his chair from the breakfast-table; -- "have
you anywhere you can put him?"
"There's the little bedroom, he can have," said Mrs. Landholm.
"Asahel can go in the boys' room."
"Very good. Winthrop, you had better take the boat down in
good time this afternoon so as to be sure and be there -- I
can't be spared a moment from the bend meadow. The grass there
is just ready to be laid. It's a very heavy swath. I guess
there's all of three tons to the acre."
"Take the boat down where?" said Asahel.
"To Cowslip's mill," said his brother. "What time will the
stage be along, sir?"
"Not much before six, I expect. You'll have the tide with you
to go down."
"It's well to look at the fair side of a subject," said
Winthrop, as his father left the room.
"May I go with you, Governor?" said Asahel.
"No sir."
"Why?"
"Because I shall have the tide hard against me coming back."
"But I am not much, and your arms are strong," urged Asahel.
"Very true. Well -- we'll see. Mother, do you want any fish to-
day?"
A sort of comical taking of the whole subject somehow was
expressed under these words, and set the whole family a-
laughing, All but Rufus; he was impenetrable. He sat finishing
his breakfast without a word, but with a certain significant
air of the lip and eyebrow, and dilating nostril, which said
something was wrong.
It was the fairest of summer afternoons; the sky June's deep
and full-coloured blue, the sun gay as a child, the hills in
their young summer dress, just put on; and the water, -- well,
it was running down very fast, but it was running quietly, and
lying under the sky and the sunshine it sparkled back their
spirit of life and joy. The air was exceeding clear, and the
green outlines of the hills rose sharp against the blue sky.
Winthrop stood a minute on one of the rocks at the water's
edge to look, and then stepped from that to the one where his
boat was moored, and began to undo the chain.
"Are you going down after those people?" said the voice of
Rufus behind him. It sounded in considerable disgust.
"What do you advise?" said Winthrop without looking up.
"I would see them at the bottom of the river first!"
"Bad advice," said Winthrop. "It would be a great deal harder
to go after them there."
"Do you know what effect your going now will have?"
"Upon them?"
"No, upon you."
"Well -- no," said Winthrop looking at the river; "I shall have
a pull up, but I shall hardly hear any news of that to-
morrow."
"It will make them despise you!"
"That would be rather an effect upon them," said Winthrop,
throwing the loosened chain into the boat's head and stepping
in himself; -- "as it strikes me."
"I wish you would take my advice," said Rufus.
"Which?" said his brother.
"Let them alone!"
"I will," said Winthrop; "I mean that."
"You are excessively provoking!"
"Are you sure?" said Winthrop smiling. "What do you propose
that I should do, Rufus?"
"Send Sam Doolittle in your place."
"Willingly; but it happens that he could not fill my place.
You must see that."
"And are you going to bring up their baggage and all?"
"I must know the sum of two unknown quantities before I can
tell whether it is just equal to a boat-load."
Rufus stood on the shore, biting his lip. The little boat was
silently slipping out from between the rocks, after a light
touch or two of the oars, when Asahel came bounding down the
road and claimed Winthrop's promise for a place in it.
"You don't want this child with you!" said Rufus.
But Winthrop gave one or two pushes in the reverse direction
and with great skill laid the skiff alongside of the rock.
Asahel jumped in triumphantly, and again slowly clearing the
rocks the little boat took the tide and the impulse of a
strong arm at once, and shot off down the stream.
They kept the mid-channel, and with its swift current soon
came abreast of the high out-jutting headland behind which the
waters turned and hid themselves from the home view. Diver's
Rock, it was called, from some old legend now forgotten. A few
minutes more, and the whole long range of the river below was
plain in sight, down to a mountain several miles off, behind
which it made yet another sharp turn and was again lost. In
that range the river ran a little west of south; just before
rounding Diver's Rock its direction was near due east, so that
the down tide at the turn carried them well over towards the
eastern shore. That was what they wanted, as Cowslip's mill
was on that side. So keeping just far enough from the shore to
have the full benefit of the ebb, they fell softly and quick
down the river; with a changing panorama of rocks and foliage
at their side, the home promontory of Shahweetah lying in
sight just north of them, and over it the heads of the
northern mountains; while a few miles below, where the river
made its last turn, the mountains on either side locked into
one another and at once checked and rested the eye. The lines
of ground there were beautiful; the western light sported
among them, dividing hill from hill, and crowning their heads
with its bright glory. It was the dynasty of the East, just
then. The eastern mountains sat in stately pride; and their
retainers, the woods, down to the water side, glittered in the
royal green and silver; for on their fresh unsullied leaves
the light played with many a sheen. The other shore was bright
enough still; but the shadows were getting long and the sun
was getting low, and the contrast was softly and constantly
growing.
"It's pretty, aint it, Winthrop?" said Asahel.
"Yes."
"I wonder what's the reason you row so much better than Rufus
-- Rufus bites his lip, and works so, and makes such a splash,
-- and you don't seem as if you worked at all."
"Perhaps because I am stronger," said Winthrop.
"Rufus is strong enough. But that can't be the reason you do
everything better than he does."
"That don't happen to be the state of the case."
"Yes it does; for you always catch the most fish, and papa
said last summer he never saw any one bind and tie as fast as
you did."
Again silently the boat fell down along the shore, a little
dark speck amidst the glow of air and water.
"How nice you look in your white jacket and trousers," said
Asahel.
"I am glad to hear it," said Winthrop laughing. "Is it such an
uncommon thing?"
"It is uncommon for you to look so nice. You must take great
care of them, Winthrop; -- it took mother so long to make
them."
"I have another pair, boy," said Winthrop, biting his lips, as
the boat rounded to the little flight of steps at Cowslip's
mill.
"Yes, but then you know, Karen -- There's the stage, Governor!
-- and the folks are come, I guess. Do you see those heads
poking out of the windows?" --
"You stay here and mind the boat, Asahel."
And Winthrop sprang ashore and went up to the crossing where
the stage-coach had stopped.
At 'Cowslip's mill' there was a sloop landing; a sort of wharf
was built there; and close upon the wharf the mill and storage
house kept and owned by Mr. Cowslip. From this central point a
road ran back over the hills into the country, and at a little
distance it was cut by the high road from Vantassel. Here the
stage had stopped.
By the time Winthrop got there, most of the effects he was to
take charge of had been safely deposited on the ground. Two
young ladies, and a gentleman seeming not far from young,
stood at the end of the coach to watch the success of the
driver and Mr. Cowslip in disinterring sundry trunks and boxes
from under the boot and a load of other trunks and boxes.
"Where's Mr. Landholm? isn't Mr. Landholm here?" said the
gentleman impatiently.
"There's somebody from Mr. Landholm ahint you," remarked Mr.
Cowslip in the course of tugging out one of the trunks.
The gentleman turned.
"Mr. Landholm could not be here, sir," said Winthrop; "but his
boat is here, and he has sent me to take care of it."
"He has! Couldn't come himself, eh? I'm sorry for that. -- The
box from the top of the stage, driver -- that's all. -- Do you
understand the management of a boat?" said he eyeing Winthrop
a little anxiously.
"Certainly, sir," said Winthrop. "I am accustomed to act as
Mr. Landholm's boatman. I am his son."
"His son, are you! Ah well, that makes all straight. I can
trust you. Not his eldest son?"
"No sir."
"I thought it couldn't be the same. Well he's a deuced
handsome pair of sons, tell him. I'm very sorry I can't stop,
-- I am obliged to go on now, and I must put my daughter and
Miss Cadwallader in your charge, and trust you to get them
safe home. I will be along and come to see you in a few days."
"The trunks is all out, sir," said the driver. "We oughtn't to
stop no longer. It's a bad piece atween here and Bearfoot."
"I leave it all to you, then," said Mr. Haye. "Elizabeth, this
young gentleman will see you and your baggage safe home. You
won't want me. I'll see you next week."
He shook hands and was off, stage-coach and all. And Mr.
Cowslip and Winthrop were left mounting guard over the baggage
and the ladies. Elizabeth gave a comprehensive glance at the
"young gentleman" designated by her father, and then turned it
upon the black leather and boards which waited to be disposed
of.
"You won't want the hull o' this for ballast, I guess,
Winthrop, _this_ arternoon," remarked Mr. Cowslip. "You'll have
to leave some of it 'long o' me."
"Can't it all go?" said Elizabeth.
"It would be too much for the boat," said Winthrop.
"If 'twouldn't for you," -- Mr. Cowslip remarked in a kind of
aside.
"Isn't there another boat?"
"There is another boat," said Mr. Cowslip -- "there's mine --
but she's up stream somewheres; comin' along, I guess, but she
won't be here time enough for your purposes."
It was necessary to make a selection. The selection was made,
and two stout trunks were successively borne down to the shore
by the hands of Winthrop and Mr. Cowslip and stowed in the
boat's bow. The two girls had walked down and stood looking
on.
"But I haven't got any books!" said Elizabeth suddenly when
she was invited to get in herself. "Won't the book-box go?"
"Is it that 'ere big board box?" inquired Mr. Cowslip. "Won't
do! It's as heavy as all the nation."
"It will not do to put anything more in the boat," said
Winthrop.
"I can't go without books," said Elizabeth.
"You'll have 'em in the mornin'," suggested the miller.
"O leave it, Lizzie, and come along!" said her companion. "See
how late it's getting."
"I can't go without some books," said Elizabeth; "I shouldn't
know what to do with myself. You are sure you can't take the
box?"
"Certainly," said Winthrop smiling. "She would draw too much
water, with this tide."
"Yes, you'd be on the bottom and no mistake, when you got in
the bay," said Mr. Cowslip.
Elizabeth looked from one to the other.
"Then just get something and open the box if you please," she
said, indicating her command to Winthrop; "and I will take out
a few, till I get the rest."
"O Lizzie!" urged her companion, -- "let the books wait!"
But she and her expostulation got no sort of attention. Miss
Lizzie walked up the hill again to await the unpacking of the
box. Miss Cadwallader straightened herself against a post,
while Mr. Cowslip and Winthrop went to the store for a hammer.
"She's got spunk in her, ha'n't she, that little one?" said
the miller. "She's a likely lookin' little gal, too. But I
never seen any one so fierce arter books, yet."
Tools were soon found, in Mr. Cowslip's store, but the box was
strongly put together and the opening of it was not a very
speedy business. The little proprietor looked on patiently.
When it was open, Miss Lizzie was not very easy to suit. With
great coolness she stood and piled up book after book on the
uncovered portion of the box, till she had got at those she
wanted. She pleased herself with two or three, and then the
others were carefully put back again; and she stood to watch
the fastening up of the box as it was before.
"It will be safe here?" she said to the miller.
"Safe enough!" he answered. "There's nobody here 'll want to
pry open these here books, agin this night."
"And will the other things be safe?" said Miss Cadwallader,
who had come up the hill again in despair. The miller glanced
at her.
"Safe as your hair in curl-papers. You can be comfortable. Now
then --"
The sun was not far from the mountain tops, when at last Miss
Lizzie stood again at the water's edge with her volumes. Miss
Cadwallader grumbled a little, but it met the utmost
carelessness. The tide was very low; but by the help of
Winthrop in the boat and Mr. Cowslip on the muddy steps, the
young ladies were safely passed down and seated in the stern-
sheets, not without two or three little screams on the part of
Miss Cadwallader. The other, quite silent, looked a little
strangely at the water coming within three or four inches of
her dress, an expression of grave timidity becoming her dark
eye much better than the look it had worn a few minutes
before. As the boat lurched a little on pushing off, the
colour started to her cheeks, and she asked "if there was any
danger?"
"Not the least," Winthrop said.
Elizabeth gave another look at the very self-possessed calm
face of her boatman, and then settled herself in her place
with the unmistakable air of a mind at ease.
The boat had rounded the corner of the wharf and fell into its
upward track, owing all its speed now to the rower's good arm;
for a very strong down tide was running against them. They
crept up, close under the shore, the oars almost touching the
rocks; but always, as if a spirit of divination were in her,
the little boat turned its head from the threatened danger,
edged in and out of the mimic bays and hollows in the shores,
and kept its steady onward way. The scene was a fairy-land
scene now. Earth, water, and air, were sparkling with
freshness and light. The sunlight lay joyously in the nest of
the southern mountains, and looked over the East, and smiled
on the heads of the hills in the north; while cool shadows
began to walk along the western shore. Far up, a broad
shoulder of the mountain stood out in bright relief under the
sun's pencil; then lower down, the same pencil put a glory
round the heads of the valley cedars; the valley was in
shadow. Sharp and clear shewed sun-touched points of rock on
the east shore, in glowing colours; and on the west the hills
raised huge shadowy sides towards the sun, whom they
threatened they would hide from his pensioners. And the sun
stood on the mountain's brow and blinked at the world, and
then dropped down; and the West had it! Not yet, but soon.
The two girls were not unmindful of all the brightness about
them, for their eyes made themselves very busy with it, and
little low-toned talks were held which now and then let a word
escape, of "pretty!" -- and "lovely!" -- and "wouldn't it be
lovely to have a little boat here? -- I'll ask papa!" --
"Is it hard to row?" asked the last speaker suddenly of
Winthrop.
"No," he said, "not at all, wind and water quiet."
"Aren't they quiet to-night?"
"The tide is running down very strong. Asahel, trim the boat."
"How on earth can such a child do anything to the boat?" said
Miss Cadwallader. "What do you want done, sir?"
"Nothing," he said. "It is done."
"_What_ is done?" said the young lady, with a wondering face to
her companion. "Oh aren't you hungry?" she added with a yawn.
"I am, dreadfully. I hope we shall get a good supper."
"Whereabouts is Mr. Landholm's house?" said Elizabeth
presently. Winthrop lay on his oars to point it out to her.
"_That?_" she said, somewhat expressively.
"Then why don't you go straight there?" inquired her
companion. "You are going directly the other way."
A slight fiction; but the boat had turned into the bay, and
was following the curve of its shores, which certainly led
down deep into the land from the farmhouse point.
"I go here for the eddy."
"He is going right," said Asahel, who was sitting on the
thwart next to the ladies.
"Eddy?" said Miss Cadwallader, with a blank look at her
cousin.
"What is an eddy?" said Elizabeth.
"The return water from a point the tide strikes against."
Elizabeth eyed the water, the channel, and the _points_, and was
evidently studying the matter out.
"What a lovely place!" she said.
"I wonder if the strawberries are ripe," said Miss
Cadwallader. "Little boy, are there any strawberries in your
woods?"
"My name is Asahel," said the 'little boy' gravely.
"Is it? I am very glad indeed to know it. Are there any
strawberries in the woods here?"
"Lots of 'em," said Asahel.
"Are they ripe yet?"
"I haven't seen more than half a dozen," said Asahel.
"They are just beginning in the sunny spots," said his brother
smiling.
"And do you have anything else here besides strawberries?"
The question was put to Asahel. He looked a little blank. It
was a broad one.
"Any other fruit," said Elizabeth.
"Plenty," said Asahel.
"What?" said Miss Cadwallader; "tell us, will you; for I've
come here to live upon wild fruit."
"Yes, ma'am," said Asahel staring a little; -- "there's red
raspberries, and black raspberries, and low-bush blackberries
and high blackberries, and huckleberries, and bearberries, and
cranberries; besides nuts, and apples. I guess that ain't
all."
"Thank you," said his questioner. "That will do. I don't
intend to stay till nut-time. Oh what a way it is round this
bay!"
"I wish it was longer," said Elizabeth.
The sun had left all the earth and betaken himself to the
clouds; and there he seemed to be disporting himself with all
the colours of his palette. There were half a dozen at a time
flung on his vapoury canvass, and those were changed and
shaded, and mixed and deepened, -- till the eye could but
confess there was only one such storehouse of glory. And when
the painting had faded, and the soft scattering masses were
left to their natural grey, here a little silvered and there a
little reddened yet, -- the whole West was still lit up with a
clear white radiance that shewed how hardly the sun's bright
track could be forgotten.
"Are we here!" said Elizabeth with a half sigh, as the boat
touched the rocks.
"Yes, to be sure," said her cousin. "Where have you been?"
"In the clouds; and I am sorry to come down again."
Mr. Landholm was standing on the rocks, and a very frank and
hearty reception he gave them. With him they walked up to the
house; Asahel staid behind to wait till Winthrop had made fast
the boat.
"How do you like 'em, Governor?" whispered the little boy,
crouching upon the rocks to get nearer his brother's ear.
"How do I like 'em?" said Winthrop; -- "I can't like anybody
upon five minutes' notice."
"One of 'em's pretty, ain't she? -- the one with the light-
coloured hair?"
"I suppose so," said Winthrop, tying his chain.
"I guess they like it here pretty well," Asahel went on.
"Didn't you see how they looked at everything?"
"No."
"They looked up, and they looked down, and on one side and the
other side; and every now and then they looked at you."
"And what did you look at?"
"I looked at them, -- some."
"Well," said Winthrop laughing, "don't look at them too much,
Asahel."
"Why not?"
"Why, you wouldn't want to do anything _too_ much, would you?"
"No. But what would be too much?"
"So much that they would find it out."
"Well, they didn't find it out this evening," said Asahel.
But that little speech went home, and for half the way as he
walked up to the house holding Asahel's hand, there was
something like bitterness in the heart of the elder brother.
So long, but no longer. They had got only so far when he
looked down at the little boy beside him and spoke with his
usual calm clearness of tone, entire and unchanged.
"Then they aren't as clear-sighted as I am, Asahel, for I
always know when you are looking at me."
"Ah, I don't believe you do!" said Asahel laughing up at him;
"I very often look at you when you don't look at me."
"Don't trust to that," said Winthrop.
There was in the little boy's laugh, and in the way he wagged
his brother's hand backwards and forwards, a happy and
confident assurance that Winthrop could do anything, that it
was good to do.
Everybody was at the supper-table; there was nothing for
Winthrop then to do but to take his place; but his _countenance_
to his mother, all supper-time, was worth a great deal. His
cool collected face at her side heartened her constantly,
though he scarcely spoke at all. Mr. Landholm played the part
of host with no drawback to his cheerfulness; talked a great
deal, and pressed all the good things of the table upon Miss
Cadwallader; who laughing, talking, and eating, managed to do
her full share of all three. She was certainly very pretty.
Her "light-coloured" hair was not so light as to be uncomely,
and fell in luxuriant ringlets all round the sides of her
pretty head; and the head moved about enough to shake the
ringlets, till they threatened to form a mazy net to catch
men's eyes. The prettiest mouth in the world, set with two
little rows of the most kissable teeth, if that feature ever
is contemplated in a kiss; and like the ringlets, the lips
seemed to be in a compact to do as much mischief as they
could; to keep together and mind their own business was the
last thing thought of. Yet it was wonderful how much business
they managed to transact on their own account, too. The other
girl sat grave and reserved, even almost with an air of
shyness, eat much less, and talked none at all; and indeed her
face was pale and thin, and justified what her father had said
about her wanting the country. Rufus seemed to have got back
his good-humour. He quite kept up the credit of his side of
the table.
Immediately after supper the two girls went to their room.
"Well, how do you like 'em?" said Mr. Landholm. "Did ye ever
see a prettier creature, now, than that Rose? Her face is like
a rose itself."
"It is more like a peach-blossom," said Rufus.
"The little one don't look well," said Mrs. Landholm.
"I wonder who'll go strawberrying with them," said Asahel.