Faith turned away silently again, and began trudging along the sandy road which led back to the lane. The moonlight shewed the way better now. Passing on, as they neared home one house after another shewed its glimmer of light and gave forth its cheerful sound of voices. From one, however, the sound was _not_ cheerful. It was Squire Deacon's. "Well, you'll see to-morrow, Cilly--if the sky don't fall,--you'll see. Folks thinks the water down to the shore's mighty deep--'way over their heads--till they've made its acquaintance; and then they find out they can wade round in it 'most anywheres."-- "What's the matter with the Squire?" said Faith with a slight laugh, as these strange statements reached her ears. "I should think--to use his own phraseology--he must be 'over his head' somewhere," replied Mr. Linden. Whereat Faith's laugh deepened, but the low sweet tone of it only sounded an instant. "My dear!" said Mrs. Derrick, running out as they entered the gate, "ain't you very imprudent? Wasn't she very imprudent, Mr. Linden?" "Very prudent, ma'am, for she wore a shawl." "And didn't want that, mother," said Faith. CHAPTER IV. The illumination lasted through the night--until "Night's candles were burnt out, and jocund day Stood tip-toe on the misty mountain tops." Very jocund she looked, with her light pink veils wreathing about the horizon, and the dancing white clouds which hurried up as the sun rose, driven by a fresh wind. Mr. Linden declared, when he came in to breakfast, that the day promised to equal the preceding night. "And whoever wants more," he added, "must wait; for I think it will not surpass it." With which, Mr. Linden stirred his coffee, and told Miss Danforth with a little look of defiance, "it was particularly good--she had better try a cup." Miss Danforth instituted a fierce inquiry as to the direction of the preceding evening's walk; to which Faith gave an unsatisfactory answer. "Did you ever look at coffee in connexion with the fatigues of life?" pursued Mr. Linden. "I shall, probably, in future," said Miss Danforth. "Now Mr. Linden, I ask you; you're a nice man to give a straight answer;--where did you and Faith go?" "I am glad I am a nice man," said Mr. Linden, "but I can scarce give a straight answer to that question." "Why not, for pity's sake?" "It must needs travel a crooked road." "Did you?" "It has left a meandering sort of recollection in my mind." "Where did it lead to?" "It led to another." "What I want to know is," said Miss Danforth, "where did you find yourselves when you were furthest from home."