d us his
advice," interrupted Gertrude, with a hurried air, as if to divert the
attention of her aunt from something very like a dogmatical termination of
an argument that had just occurred between her and Mrs Wyllys; "perhaps to
serve as an umpire."

"True," said the latter. "Pray, what think you of the weather to-day,
sir? would it be profitable to sail in such a time, or not?"

The young mariner reluctantly withdrew his eyes from the blushing
Gertrude, who, in her eagerness to point him out, had advanced to the
front, and was now shrinking back, timidly, to the centre of the building
again, like one who already repented of her temerity. He then fastened his
look on her who put the question; and so long and riveted was his gaze,
that she saw fit to repeat it, believing that what she had first said was
not properly understood.

"There is little faith to be put in the weather, Madam," was the dilatory
reply. "A man has followed the sea to but little purpose who is tardy in
making that discovery."

There was something so sweet and gentle, at the same time that it was
manly, in the voice of Wilder, that the ladies, by a common impulse,
seemed struck with its peculiarities. The neatness of his attire, which,
while it was strictly professional, was worn with an air of smartness, and
even of gentility, that rendered it difficult to suppose that he was not
entitled to lay claim to a higher station in society than that in which he
actually appeared, added to this impression. Bending her head, with a
manner that was intended to be polite, a little more perhaps in
self-respect than out of consideration to the other, as if in deference to
the equivocal character of his appearance, Mrs de Lacey resumed the
discourse.

"These ladies," she said, "are about to embark in yonder ship, for the
province of Carolina, and we were consulting concerning the quarter in
which the wind will probably blow next. But, in such a vessel, it cannot
matter much, I should think, sir, whether the wind were fair or foul."

"I think not," was the reply. "She looks to me like a ship that will not
do much, let the wind be as it may."

"She has the reputation of being a very fast sailer.--Reputation! we know
she is such, having come from home to the Colonies in the incredibly short
passage of seven weeks! But seamen have their favourites and prejudices, I
believe, like us poor mortals ashore. You will therefore excuse me, if I
ask this honest veteran