I thought that they had so
arranged it. The brave ship spreads her pinions. How clever the people
of Springhaven are! If you will condescend to look through this glass,
you will see much embracing of the Saxon and the Gaul, or rather, I
should say, of the Saxon by the Gaul. Old Tugwell is not fond to be
embraced."
"Oh, let me see that! I must see that!" cried Dolly, with all reserve
and caution flown; "to see Capp'en Zeb in the arms of a Frenchman--yes,
I declare, two have got him, if not three, and he puts his great back
against the mast to disentangle it. Oh, what will he do next? He has
knocked down two, in reply to excessive cordiality. What wonderful
creatures Frenchmen are! How kind it is of you to show me this! But
excuse me, Mr. Carne; there will be twenty people coming to the house
before I can get back almost. And the ship will salute the battery,
and the battery will return it. Look! there goes a great puff of smoke
already. They can see me up here, when they get to that corner."
"But this spot is not private? I trust that I have not intruded.
Your father allows a sort of foot-path through this upper end of his
grounds?"
"Yes, to all the villagers, and you are almost one of them; there is
no right of way at all; and they very seldom come this way, because it
leads to nowhere. Faith is fond of sitting here, to watch the sea, and
think of things. And so am I--sometimes, I mean."
CHAPTER XXVI
LONG-PIPE TIMES
Daily now the roar and clank of war grew loud and louder, across the
narrow seas, and up the rivers, and around the quiet homes of England.
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