ll picked
his way among the broken rocks that covered the ascent to what might be
termed the table-land of the island, if indeed any portion of so ragged a
bit of this earth could properly be so named, his thoughts recurred to
this question of the season, and to the probability of his getting a cargo
before it would be absolutely necessary to go to the northward. On the
whole, he fancied his chances good; and such he found to be Stimson's
opinion, when this experienced sealer was questioned on the subject.

"We've begun right in all respects but one, Captain Gar'ner," said
Stephen, as he closed his remarks on the subject; "and even in that matter
in which we made a small mistake at the outset, we are improving, and I
hope will come out right in the end. I said a _small_ mistake, but in this
I'm wrong, as it was a _great_ mistake."

"And what was it, Stephen? Make no bones of telling me of any blunder I
may have committed, according to your views of duty. You are so much older
than myself, that I'll stand it."

"Why, sir, it's not in seamanship, or in sealing; if it was, I'd hold my
tongue; but it's in not keeping the Lord's Day from the hour when we
lifted our anchor in that bay that bears the name of your family, Captain
Gar'ner; and which ought to be, and I make no doubt _is_, dear to you on
that account, if for no other reason. I rather think, from what they tell
me, that the old Lord Gar'ner of all had much preaching of the word, and
much praying to the Lord in the old times, when he lived there."

"There never was any _Lord_ Gardiner among us," returned Roswell,
modestly, "though it was a fashion among the east-enders to give that
title to the owner of the island. My ancestor who first got the place was
Lyon Gardiner, an engineer in the service of the colony of Connecticut."

"Well, whether he was a lion or a lamb, I'll answer for it the Lord was
not forgotten on that island, Captain Gar'ner, and he shouldn't be on
this. No man ever lost anything in this world, or in that which is to come
a'ter it, by remembering once in seven days to call on his Creator to help
him on in his path. I've heard it said, sir, that you're a little
partic'lar like in your idees of religion, and that you do not altogether
hold to the doctrines that are preached up and down the land."

Roswell felt his cheeks warm at this remark, and he thought of Mary, and
of her meek reliance on that Saviour whom, in the pride of his youth,
strengt