.

Levi had gone, Bessie had gone, the Caribbee had gone. Mr. Watson
wanted to know why Levi had gone without him; but there was no one to
tell him. He did not suspect that Bessie had not gone with him. Mr.
Gayles wanted to know why the Caribbee had sailed without Dock Vincent;
but there was no one to tell him. Standing on the Point, both were
vexed and perplexed; but neither could help himself, and neither could
solve the mystery. Both went home.

Mrs. Watson was alarmed when her husband told her that the yacht had
gone without him. It was a fact--as Mat Mogmore had stated--that an
excursion train left Boston at eleven o'clock for Portland. Many of the
people of Rockport had gone to the city to hear a great singer, and
were to return in this train. Levi knew of it, or he might have doubted
Mat's story. Mr. Watson was a man of action. He ordered his fastest
horse to be brought to the door; and he drove, at a furious pace, to
Ipswich, which was a little nearer than Beverly, and the train would
arrive there half an hour later. At five o'clock in the morning he was
in Portland. He chartered a large sail-boat, and stood down the harbor.
At seven o'clock he discovered The Starry Flag, off Cape Elizabeth.

Mr. Watson was angry because Levi had left him behind; angry because
Levi had taken Bessie and not taken him. Though an unpleasant word had
never before passed between them, the father--whose ideas of propriety
were very clearly defined--determined that some emphatic words should
be used on the present occasion. He paid his boatman, when the yacht
had been hailed, and in due time was transferred to her.

"Where is Bessie?" asked Levi, before her father had time to utter a
single sharp word.

The emphatic words were never spoken.

"Where _is_ she?" repeated Mr. Watson. "Isn't she on board of the
yacht?"

"No, sir," replied Levi, now alarmed, as her father was.

"Not here?"

"Certainly not. Didn't she come by railroad with you?"

"No; I haven't seen her since I started for Gloucester last night."

Levi almost sank upon the deck, and Mr. Watson's strength was all taken
from him by the discovery that some mishap had befallen his daughter.
Levi explained when he had breath enough to do so. Mr. Watson also
explained, and each was in possession of all the information the other
had; but their wisdom was foolishness, since it fell far short of the
requirements of the moment.

"The Caribbee sailed last night, Levi," s