I did not make any answer to this. I could not speak, for my heart was too full. Presently we arrived at the entrance to Mount Pleasant, when Jake rushed forward and opened the gate leading into the grounds, and we proceeded up the carriage drive towards the house in silence, the moon, which was just rising over the tops of the mountains beyond, lighting up the garden on the terrace in front and making it look like a dream of fairyland. The flowers and foliage shone out in relief as if tipped with silver against the dark background of the house; while the cool evening breeze was scented with the fragrance of the frangipanni and jessamine, now smelling more strongly than in the daytime, in addition to which I could distinguish the lusciously sweet perfume of the night- blooming cereus, a plant that only unfolds its luscious petals after sunset. The whole scene lives in my memory now! "Say, Mass' Tom," whispered Jake to me as he took hold of Prince's bridle on my dismounting to lead him away to the stables along with Dandy. "I'se heard what you 'peak jus' now to Mass' Eastman. Um railly goin' leabe de plantashun for true, hey?" "Yes," said I. "I am to go to England in the _Josephine_, that big ship we saw to-day, if my mother consents." "Den, I go too!" replied Jake impressively. "Nonsense!" cried I, laughing at this determination of his. "Captain Miles won't take you." "Won't him, dough--me 'peak to him byme-by, an' you see den!" "You can speak if you like," I replied in an off-hand way as he went away with the horses; while I ascended the terrace steps and proceeded into the house to hear what mother had to say on the subject of my going away. I found, however, when I got in, that dad had already told the news; and it came out presently that the matter had really all been arranged beforehand. My father, I heard now, had received an offer to sell his plantation, as my mother told me, but my illness had prevented him from closing with it; and so the opportunity had slipped. Consequently, as he would still have to remain at Mount Pleasant for possibly an indefinite time, he had made up his mind to adhere to his original plan and send me home to school without further delay. He and my mother had settled to arrange a passage for me with their old friend Captain Miles even before we started on our ride to Grenville Bay, dad and the captain having seen each other in the town and spoken about the matter previously, fixing the very day of our visit, as the substantial luncheon we had on board showed. Now, therefore, that my inclinations chimed in with dad's views and arrangements, the thing was finally settled; and it may be imagined what a state of mind my mother and sisters were in about my going. They hugged and kissed me as if I were going to start that very minute!