"Ay, ay, sir! No ghosts on the weather quarter! Ship drawing twenty fathoms and the mate fast asleep. Oh, Wenna, my hat!" It had been twitched off her head by one of the branches of the young trees through which she was passing, and the pliant bit of wood, being released from the strain, had thrown it down into the dark bushes and briers. "Well I'm--No, I'm not!" said Mabyn as she picked out the hat from among the thorns and straightened the twisted feather. Then she set out again, impatient over these delays, and yet determined not to let her courage sink. "Land ahead yet?" called out Wenna. "Ay, ay, sir, and the Lizard on our lee. Wind south-south-west and the cargo shifting a point to the east. Hurrah!" "Mabyn, they'll hear you a mile off." It was certainly Mabyn's intention that she should be heard at least a quarter of a mile off, for now they had got down to the open, and they could hear the stream some way ahead of them, which they would have to cross. At this point Mabyn paused for a second to let her sister overtake her: then they went on arm-in-arm. "Oh, Wenna," she said, "do you remember 'young Lochinvar'?" "Of course." "Didn't you fall in love with him when you read about him? Now, there _was_ somebody to fall in love with! Don't you remember when he came into Netherby Hall, that The bride-maidens whispered, ''Twere better by far To have matched our fair cousin with young Lochinvar'? And then you know, Wenna-- One touch to her hand, and one word in her ear, When they reached the hall-door, and the charger stood near; So light to the croup the fair lady he swung, So light to the saddle before her he sprung! 'She is won! we are gone--over bank, bush and scaur! They'll have fleet steeds that follow,' quoth young Lochinvar. That _was_ a lover now!" "I think he was a most impertinent young man," said Wenna. "I rather like a young man to be impertinent," said Mabyn boldly. "Then there won't be any difficulty about fitting you with a husband," said Wenna with a light laugh. Here Mabyn once more went on ahead, picking her steps through the damp grass as she made her way down to the stream. Wenna was still in the highest of spirits. "Walking the plank yet, boatswain?" she called out. "Not yet, sir," Mabyn called in return. "Ship wearing round a point to the west, and the waves running mountains high. Don't you hear 'em, captain?" "Look out for the breakers, boatswain." "Ay, ay, sir. All hands on deck to man the captain's gig! Belay away there! Avast! Mind, Wenna, here's the bridge." Crossing over that single plank in the dead of night was a sufficiently dangerous experiment, but both these young ladies had had plenty of experience in keeping their wits about them in more perilous places. "Why are you in such a hurry, Mabyn?" Wenna asked when they had crossed.