parted. But as we rode out she came at a run, holding her skirts
high with either hand, raised her old eyes bright and anxious in their
setting of fine wrinkles, and said:

"'Tidden sorrow for her?"

A shrug of the shoulders was all the answer she got. We rode by the
lanes; through sloping farmyards, all mud and pigs, and dirty straw, and
farmers with clean-shaven upper lips and whiskers under the chin; past
fields of corn, where larks were singing. Up or down, we didn't draw
rein till we came to Dan's hotel.

There was the river gleaming before us under a rainbow mist that
hallowed every shape. There seemed affinity between the earth and the
sky. I've never seen that particular soft unity out of Devon. And every
ship, however black or modern, on those pale waters, had the look of a
dream ship. The tall green woods, the red earth, the white houses, were
all melted into one opal haze. It was raining, but the sun was shining
behind. Gulls swooped by us--ghosts of the old greedy wanderers of the
sea.

We had told our two boatmen to pull us out to the Pied Witch! They
started with great resolution, then rested on their oars.

"The Pied Witch, zurr?" asked one politely; "an' which may her be?"

That's the West countryman all over! Never say you "nay," never
lose an opportunity, never own he doesn't know, or can't do
anything--independence, amiability, and an eye to the main chance.
We mentioned Pearse's name.

"Capt'n Zach'ry Pearse!" They exchanged a look half-amused,
half-admiring.

"The Zunflaower, yu mane. That's her. Zunflaower, ahoy!" As we mounted
the steamer's black side I heard one say:

"Pied Witch! A pra-aper name that--a dandy name for her!" They laughed
as they made fast.

The mate of the Sunflower, or Pied Witch, or whatever she was called,
met us--a tall young fellow in his shirtsleeves, tanned to the roots of
his hair, with sinewy, tattooed arms, and grey eyes, charred round the
rims from staring at weather.

"The skipper is on board," he said. "We're rather busy, as you see. Get
on with that, you sea-cooks," he bawled at two fellows who were doing
nothing. All over the ship, men were hauling, splicing, and stowing
cargo.

"To-day's Friday: we're off on Wednesday with any luck. Will you come
this way?" He led us down the companion to a dark hole which he called
the saloon. "Names? What! are you Mr. Treffry? Then we're partners!" A
schoolboy's glee came on his face.

"Look here!" he said; "I