bed the surface of the sea. Here and there along the coast
shone a strip of yellow beach with its fringe of glistening foam. Not
far away an opening among the trees, extending inland for several miles,
showed the grasses of a salt marsh.

In silence Pats and Elinor gazed upon this scene. Beautiful it was,
grand, indescribably impressive; but it brought to both observers the
keenest sense of their isolation. The vastness of it, and the stillness,
brought a vague despair, and, to the girl, a sort of terror. Tears came
to her eyes.

Pats turned and saw them. His own face had taken on a sadder look than
was often allowed there, but his eyes met hers with their customary
cheerfulness. For the first time since their acquaintance, Elinor
wept--very gently, but she wept. All that a sympathetic and unskilful
lover could do was done by Pats. He patted her back, kissed her hair,
and suggested brandy. Her collapse, however, was of short duration. She
drew back and smiled and apologized for her weakness.

"I am ashamed of myself for breaking down. But it's the first time,
isn't it?"

"Yes, it is; and I have wondered at your courage. But do it all the time
if you feel the least bit better."

She smiled and shook her head. "No, I shall not collapse again. I shall
follow your example. You are always in good spirits."

"I? Well, I should think I might be! Here I am alone in the wilderness
with the girl that all men desire,--and not a rival in sight! Why, I am
in Heaven! I had never dreamed that a fellow could have such an
existence."

* * * * *

When they descended the hill and started leisurely on the homeward march
two smiling faces were illumined by the western sun.

[Illustration]

XIII

THE HORN OF PLENTY

Heavy showers escorted the travellers during the last afternoon of
their homeward march. Of the trio Solomon was the wettest, for his two
friends were enfolded in a rubber blanket, drawn over their heads and
shoulders and held together in front. Thus, by walking arm in arm and
keeping close together, they escaped a soaking. But Elinor was tired,
with a tendency to sadness. This was excusable, as the failure of the
expedition left the choice of a perilous experiment on the raft or of
starvation at the cottage. Even the saturated Solomon, as he preceded
them with drooping head, seemed to have lost his buoyancy.

But Pats, whatever his inward state, continued an unf