clock, and I am rather tired from my journey, for, you must know, we
rushed it through from New York to North End without lying over," said
Mr. Fabian, as he shook hands with his niece.

He retired, and his example was soon followed by all his party.

CHAPTER XIX.

A FAMILY REUNION.

The next morning, after an early breakfast, the travelers assembled in
the hall of the hotel to take leave of each other. Clarence, Sylvan, and
Cora entered the capacious carriage of the establishment to drive to
Rockhold, leaving Mr. and Mrs. Fabian Rockharrt on the porch of the
hotel, at which they had decided to rest for a few days.

"We shall go to Rockhold to welcome the king and queen when they return,
Cora," said Mr. Fabian, waving his hand to the departed trio, though he
had not the least intention of keeping his word. He then led his pretty
Violet into the house. The lumbering carriage rolled along the village
street, passed the huge buildings of the locomotive works, and out into
the road that lay between the fool of the range of mountains and the
banks of the river.

The ferryboat was at the wharf, and the broad shouldered negro dwarf was
standing on it, pole in hand.

His look of surprise and delight on seeing Sylvan and Cora was good to
behold.

"Why, Lors bress my po' ole soul, young marse an' miss, is yer come sure
'nough? 'Deed I's moughty proud to see yer. How's de ole marse? When he
coming back agin?" he queried, as the carriage rolled slowly across the
gangplank from the wharf to the deck of the ferryboat.

"Your ole marse is quite well, Uncle Moses, and will be home on the
first of the month with his new wife," said Sylvan, who could not miss
the fun of telling this rare bit of news to the aged ferryman.

The old negro dropped his pole into the water, opened his mouth and eyes
to their widest extent and gasped and stared.

"Wid--w'ich?" he said, at last.

"With his new wife and your new mistress," answered Sylvan.

The old negro dropped his chin on his chest, raised his knobby black
fingers to his head and scratched his gray hair with a look of quaint
perplexity, as he muttered,

"Now I wunner ef I tuk too heavy a pull on to dat dar rum jug, fo' I lef
de house dis mornin'--I wunner if I did."

His mate stopped and pulled the pole up out of the water and began
himself to push off the boat until it was afloat.

They soon reached the opposite shore, drove off the boat and up the
avenue between th