out, Mr. Underhill."

"Step up on there, can't you -- I'll hold her, -- can you jump?"
--

"But Mr. Underhill, that's going to do no good to my boat. --"

"What aint? --"

"That gravel -- grating and grinding on it, as the tide makes."

"'Twon't do nothin' -- it'll just stay still so. Well, you go
in and speak to mother, and I'll see to her. I didn't know you
could row so smart, -- real handsome!"

"I learnt a good while ago," said Elizabeth. "I'll not be gone
long, Mr. Underhill."

Up the neglected green slope she ran, wondering at herself the
while. What new steps were these, which Miss Haye was not
taking for her own pleasure. What a strange visit was this,
which her heart shrank from more and more as she neared the
house door.

The house was tenanted by sundry younger fry of the feminine
gender, of various ages, who met Elizabeth with wonder equal
to her own, and a sort of mixed politeness and curiosity to
which her experience had no parallel. By the fireside sat the
old grandam, very old, and blind, as Elizabeth now perceived
she was. Miss Haye drew near with the most utter want of
knowledge what to do or say to such a person, -- how to give
the pleasure she had come to give. She hoped the mere fact of
her coming and presence would do it, for to anything further
she felt herself unequal. The old lady looked up curiously,
hearing the noise of entering feet and a stranger's among
them.

"Will you tell your grandmother who I am," Elizabeth asked,
with a shy ignorance how to address her, and an exceeding
reluctance to it.

"Grand'ma," said the eldest girl, "here is Miss Haye, -- the
young lady from Shahweetah -- she's here."

The old woman turned her sightless eyes towards her visiter,
got up and curtseyed.

"Don't do that," said Elizabeth, taking a seat near her. "Mr.
Underhill asked me some time ago to come and see his mother."

"I've heerd of ye," said the old woman. "'Siah was over to
your place, makin' of a boat, or mendin', or somethin', he
telled me. I'm glad to see ye. How did ye come across?"

"In a boat -- in the boat he mended for me."

"Have you got somebody to row ye over?"

"I rowed myself over."

"Why did ye? -- ain't ye afeard? I wouldn't ha' thought! 'Siah
said she was a slim handsome girl, as one would see in the
country."

"Well, I can row," said Elizabeth colouring; for she had an
instant sense that several pairs of eyes _not_ blind were
comparing the report with the re