red, and if she were not
willing to marry him as she was bidden to do, he would rather die
than lend himself to forcing her to do such a thing against her will.
Nevertheless, he told her she must speak up and tell him yes or no, and
that God knew he would give all the world if she would say "yes."

All this and more he said in such a tumult of words that there was no
order in their speaking, and she sitting there, her bosom rising and
falling as though her breath stifled her. Nor may I tell what she
replied to him, only this, that she said she would marry him. At this he
took her into his arms and set his lips to hers, his heart all melting
away in his bosom.

So presently came the captain back into the saloon again, to find
Barnaby sitting there holding her hand, she with her face turned away,
and his heart beating like a trip hammer, and so saw that all was
settled as he would have it. Wherewith he wished them both joy, and gave
Barnaby his hand.

The yawlboat belonging to the brigantine was ready and waiting alongside
when they came upon deck, and immediately they descended to it and took
their seats. So they landed, and in a little while were walking up the
village street in the darkness, she clinging to his arm as though she
would swoon, and the captain of the brigantine and two other men from
aboard following after them. And so to the minister's house, finding him
waiting for them, smoking his pipe in the warm evening, and walking up
and down in front of his own door. He immediately conducted them into
the house, where, his wife having fetched a candle, and two others
of the village folk being present, the good man having asked several
questions as to their names and their age and where they were from,
the ceremony was performed, and the certificate duly signed by those
present--excepting the men who had come ashore from the brigantine, and
who refused to set their hands to any paper.

The same sailboat that had taken the captain up to the town in the
afternoon was waiting for them at the landing place, whence, the
captain, having wished them Godspeed, and having shaken Barnaby very
heartily by the hand, they pushed off, and, coming about, ran away with
the slant of the wind, dropping the shore and those strange beings alike
behind them into the night.

As they sped away through the darkness they could hear the creaking of
the sails being hoisted aboard of the brigantine, and so knew that she
was about to pu