n't know what I've done," she smiled a crooked little
smile, and gave the artistic Tam a new angle, "but I'm rather frozen
out. Mrs. Jo G.'s Amelia made a 'face' at me yesterday. I shouldn't have
noticed it, for the creature's hideous anyway, but she called an
explanation after me; 'I've made a snoot at you!' she screamed, and
would have said more, but Maud Grace pulled her in. No, Davy, I'm going
up to Bluff Head."

"It's empty," Davy said, moving between stove and table clumsily.

"Eliza Jane's there, and James B. I wonder if they are going to shut the
house for the winter?" asked Janet.

"Like as not," Davy nodded, and spoke from the depths of his coffee cup.

Janet bethought her of the cellar window and the old unbroken calm, and
she sighed yearningly.

"Good bye, Davy." She came behind his chair, and snuggled her soft cap
against his cheek. "I'm going up to have a good reading spell; then
after dinner let us, you and I, if Mark should happen back, go over to
the Station to see Cap'n Billy. Something's the matter with my Cap'n
Daddy. He's keeping off land like an ocean steamer. Davy, he's got a
cargo aboard, take my word for it, that he doesn't want us to know
about. Like as not he's taken to pirate ways and we've got to get
aboard, Davy, sure and certain."

"By gum!" ejaculated David, "what an eye ye've got fur signals, Janet!
I've been doubtin' Billy's actions fur some time an', if Mark comes
back, I'll jine ye goin' over t' the dunes. What's Mark's call t' the
city?" he asked suddenly.

"You'll have to ask Mark." The girl was halfway down the garden path as
she answered. "Probably following the city trade."

"Not much!" muttered Davy, going into the sleeping room; "Mark's got his
stomick full of city once fur all. He hates it worse'n pisen."

Down the sunlit path went the girl to the oak thicket which lay between
the Light and the road that stretched from the village to Bluff Head.
Not a soul was in sight, and the crisp air and glorious view gave a new
kind of joy to Janet that was distinct from pleasure. She felt that even
if trouble crushed her, she would always be able to know this
satisfaction of the senses. She paused at the entrance of the woods and
looked back. The path was strewn with a carpet of leaves; here and there
a tall poplar stood majestically above its stunted comrades of pines and
scrub oaks, but looked gaunt and bare, while the humbler brothers bore
a beauty of blood-red leaves, or th