ttle villages;
crossed and recrossed by its network of "back-waters"; and terminated
abruptly by the long straight line of sea-wall which protects the
defenseless coast of Essex from invasion by the sea.

"Have we more rooms still to see?" asked Magdalen, turning from the view
of the garden, and looking about her for another door.

"No more, my dear--we've run aground here, and we may as well wear
round and put back again," said old Mazey. "There's another side of the
house--due south of you as you stand now--which is all tumbling about
our ears. You must go out into the garden if you want to see it; it's
built off from us by a brick bulkhead, t'other side of this wall here.
The monks lived due south of us, my dear, hundreds of years afore his
honor the admiral was born or thought of, and a fine time of it they
had, as I've heard. They sang in the church all the morning, and drank
grog in the orchard all the afternoon. They slept off their grog on the
best of feather-beds, and they fattened on the neighborhood all the year
round. Lucky beggars! lucky beggars!"

Apostrophizing the monks in these terms, and evidently regretting that
he had not lived himself in those good old times, the veteran led
the way back through the rooms. On the return passage across
"Freeze-your-Bones," Magdalen preceded him. "She's as straight as a
poplar," mumbled old Mazey to himself, hobbling along after his youthful
companion, and wagging his venerable head in cordial approval. "I never
was particular what nation they belonged to; but I always _did_ like 'em
straight and fine grown, and I always _shall_ like 'em straight and fine
grown, to my dying day."

"Are there more rooms to see upstairs, on the second floor?" asked
Magdalen, when they had returned to the point from which they had
started.

The naturally clear, distinct tones of her voice had hitherto reached
the old sailor's imperfect sense of hearing easily enough. Rather to her
surprise, he became stone deaf on a sudden, to her last question.

"Are you sure of your Pints of the Compass?" he inquired. "If you're not
sure, put your back ag'in the wall, and we'll go all over 'em again, my
dear, beginning with the Noathe."

Magdalen assured him that she felt quite familiar, by this time, with
all the points, the "Noathe" included; and then repeated her question
in louder tones. The veteran obstinately matched her by becoming deafer
than ever.

"Yes, my dear," he said, "you're ri