w marnin', and the weather
holds fine, we'll be cruisin' down. In another week, or fortnight,
whatever, the mail boat'll be comin' and blowin' her whistle in the
offing. I tells you, Charley lad, when you comes, and when you wants to
go home so bad, that when the mail boat comes back and blows her whistle
in the offing, we'd be ready and waitin' for she."

And so it came to pass that Charley found himself again with Skipper Zeb
and his family in the little cabin at Pinch-In Tickle. How crude it had
seemed to him that day when Toby led him up the path, and he had first
met Skipper Zeb! How comfortable and hospitable it seemed to him now!
How many memories it held for him!

Early one morning there sounded the long blast of a whistle, and
presently the mail boat appeared in the tickle, and came to in the
offing. There was great excitement in Skipper Zeb's cabin. Charley had
no time to change to the clothes in which he had arrived, but they were
packed in a neat bundle, and in another bundle were the wolf and bear
skins, together with many other souvenirs of the winter. Charley wished
to give his rifle to Toby, but Toby declined:

"Keep un yourself to remember the bear, and our other huntin'."

"I'll send you and your father new ones, as I promised, anyhow," Charley
assured.

"Well, now, and there's the mail boat!" exclaimed Skipper Zeb. "She's
come at last to take Charley away from us! And this is the end of the
fix you gets in! I'm wonderful sorry to have you go, lad! We're thinkin'
of you like one of the family now, and we're not wishin' to lose you."

"We're all wonderful sorry!" and Mrs. Twig brushed away a tear.

"Some day," said Charley, his heart full, "I'll come back to see you,
and perhaps I'll bring Dad with me to show him how good you people are,
and how we live in a real wilderness."

"I'll be puttin' you over in the punt to the mail boat," said Toby,
reluctant to bid Charley farewell.

They all went down to the landing to see him off, Skipper Zeb, Mrs. Twig
and Violet. He sat in the stern of the punt, as he did on the day Toby
took him ashore, while Toby rowed him alongside and helped him on deck
with his baggage, and then the boys grasped each other's hands in
farewell.

"'Twere the finest winter I ever has--with you here," and Toby's choking
voice would permit him to say no more.

"It was the finest winter I ever spent, too," and Charley was little
less moved than Toby.

"The ship's movin'. Go