ot reasonably
rate you for a first fault; and if he does--there is the white damask
ready bought for the wedding gown, and I am ready to take you for better
or worse to-morrow," continued Arthur, drawing the half-resisting, but
more than half-willing girl, nearer and nearer to the boat at every
word; while Teddy, hanging on her arm, continued to wheedle and implore
her to go.

"It is only for once, sister Bessy; only for once: father can't kill us
if we do take this one day's pastime. Oh, dear, oh, dear; I shall die if
I don't go to Dunwich fair!"

"Arthur Blackbourne, we shall lose the tide if you stand palavering
there," shouted half-a-dozen of the crew of the Queen Anne.

"Arthur Blackbourne, you are to take charge of my niece, Joan Bates, if
Bessy Younges doesn't go with us," screamed the shrill voice of the
widow Robson, one of the busiest bodies in the busy borough corporate of
Southwold two centuries ago.

"Oh gracious, aunt! you must not interfere between sweethearts;"
expostulated Joan, with a giggle of affected simplicity. "I am sure I
don't wish to take Arthur Blackbourne from Mistress Elizabeth Younges,
if he prefers her company to mine, and it is her intention to go to
Dunwich fair with us; but I think she does not go to fairs. Parson
Younges always preaches against them, does not he, aunt?" said Joan.

"Why, to be sure he does," cried the widow Robson; "so of course his
daughter can not be seen at such a place."

Elizabeth turned pale with vexation at these observations, the drift of
which she perfectly understood. Margaret Blackbourne stepped back, and
whispered in her ear, "All that is said to keep you from going to
Dunwich fair with Arthur."

"I shall not ask their leave if I choose to go," returned Elizabeth.

"Then pray make up your mind at once," said the widow Robson, "or we
shall none go, I fancy, as Arthur Blackbourne is the steersman of the
Queen Anne."

"I am coming," cried Arthur, drawing Elizabeth toward the boat. All the
female voyagers had now scrambled in, save Joan Bates, who was
exercising her coquettish skill in parrying the advances of Bennet
Allen, the town-clerk's brother, with the evident design of securing the
attentions of the handsome Arthur Blackbourne for the voyage.

Four stout seamen, aided by a bare-foot, ragged rout of auxiliaries,
such as are always loitering on Southwold beach in readiness to
volunteer their services on such occasions, now began to impel the bo