Jean acquiesced at once, and said: “Indeed, she would be very sorry to give the lass that muckle pain.” She hinted, moreover, that her neebor's spirit was so high, she was quite capable of breaking with him at once upon such an intimation; and she, Jean, was “nae mischief-maker.” In the energy of his gratitude, he kissed this dark-browed beauty, professing to see in her a sister. And she made no resistance to this way of showing gratitude, but muttered between her teeth, “He's just a bairn!” And so she went about her business. On her retreat, his mother returned to him, and, with a sad air, hoped nothing that that rude girl had said had weakened his filial duty. “No, mother,” said he. She then, without explaining how she came acquainted with Jean's arguments, proceeded to demolish them one by one. “If your mother is old and experienced,” said she, “benefit by her age and experience. She has not forgotten love, nor the ills it leads to, when not fortified by prudence. Scripture says a man shall cleave to his wife when he has left his parents; but in making that, the most important step of life, where do you read that he is to break the fifth commandment? But I do you wrong, Charles, you never could have listened to that vulgar girl when she told you your mother was not your best friend.” “N--no, mother, of course not.” “Then you will not go to that place to break my heart, and undo all you have done this week.” “I should like to go, mother.” “You will break my heart if you do.” “Christie will feel herself slighted, and she has not deserved this treatment from me.” “The other will explain to her, and if she is as good a girl as you say--” “She is an angel!” “How can a fishwife be an angel? Well, then, she will not set a son to disobey his mother.” “I don't think she would! but is all the goodness to be on her side?” “No, Charles, you do your part; deny yourself, be an obedient child, and your mother's blessing and the blessing of Heaven will rest upon you.” In short, he was not to go to Inch Coombe. He stayed at home, his mother set him to work; he made a poor hand of it, he was so wretched. She at last took compassion on him, and in the evening, when it was now too late for a sail to Inch Coombe, she herself recommended a walk to him. The poor boy's feet took him toward Newhaven, not that he meant to go to his love, but he could not forbear from looking at the place which held her. He was about to return, when a spacious blue jacket hailed him. Somewhere inside this jacket was Master Flucker, who had returned in the yacht, leaving his sister on the island. Gatty instantly poured out a flood of questions. The baddish boy reciprocated fluency. He informed him “that his sister had been the star of a goodly company, and that, her own lad having stayed away, she had condescended to make a conquest of the skipper himself.