Storm and calm will soon be o'er— Spread the flowing sail! Lift thy heart with sorrow sore— Catch the fav'ring gale! Wouldst thou weep till set of sun— From the break of day? This life's stream will soon be run— Laugh, then, while you may! Mariners in life's frail boat— Sighs and tears are vain! Cheerily let's onward float— Soon the port we'll gain! Merrily we go, my man— Merrily with the tide! Catch the breezes while you can— Merrily onward glide!" Again and again they doubled the last verse, those brave old voyagers! until many a milk-maid came up the banks of Trent, leaving her cows on the lea, to listen more nearly to the merry song they had so often heard before from the two quaint companions of the fishing-boat. The little ferry of Littleborough was at length gained, and Zed leaped as gaily on shore as if he were yet in his youth, and then handed Phil out, with his fiddle-case under his arm; and when the skiff was moored, away they hasted to the "Ferry Boat Inn," as the humble public-house was loftily termed, and where the intended wedding and merry-making was about to be held. After half-a-dozen hearty gripes of the hand, and as many congratulations on their good looks, the two old men were zealously pressed to "eat and drink, and not spare," by the bluff landlord. And, nothing loth, Zed and Phil sat down on the long-settle, and made free with a good hearty beef-steak pie, and a tankard of ale; and the landlord was ready to fill again ere the latter was fairly empty. "Don't ye be dainty about it, my hearties," said he, "for the youngsters will be down-stairs soon; they've been dressing this I don't know how long; and you'll ha' plenty to do, I warrant ye, when they happen to find that you're come: so do justice to your fare!"