The Island Bride — page 78: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

CA8T AWAY from touching the water. In fact it was worked something like a rolling-pin in the hands of a pie-baker, “ Ahem, Miss Trundle, is she coming round ?” “ Oh, dear me!” cried the spinster, “ how should I know ? J think it well /” And so the parson worked away in the same “ rolling-pin ” manncr, while Miss Trundle stood watching him admiringly. Suddenly the sail filled and the boat began to muve “ stern- ways,” or backward through the water. “ How now !” inquired the parson, triumphantly, still work- ing the oar, “ how now? It seems to me she’s moving.” _“ Oh, dear, yes! it is delightful !” cried Miss Trundle. “We are sailing along beautifully !” “Verily,” said Trust, with a meek smile, “God is good, and has inspired me to work the vessel right !” ‘Hear him !” murmured Miss Trundle to herself, “ hear this good man. Parson!” she added, aloud, “I will cling to you through every thing. If I drown, you will drown with me. We will both die together !” “Ahem !” ejaculated Trust. “ We must not think of dying now. How does she head, Miss Trundle? You can tell by looking at the little compass which I have placed under the seat, behind me.” | Miss Trundle did look at the compass, but she couldn’t tell how the boat headed, for the points kept changing, “ At any rate we are running at a good ‘ pace,’” said Trust. “Yes, at a good pace,” he added, letting go the steering-oar ; “but ’—and he looked considerably perplexed—*“ it seems to me—ah—it seems. to me that there’s something wrong here. Can you inform me which is the bow and which the stern of this boat, Miss Trundle ?” ‘* Oh, dear! dear! How should I know? Both ends of the boat look alike to me?’ “ Verily,” cried the parson, “ that is what puzzles me; the craft being sharp at both ends, it is difficult to tell which is the bow. However, we won’t let that trouble us; I guess we are going right.” __ They were going both right and left. The boat was pur- Buing a very irregular course; swerving first to one side, and . then to the other, like an obstinate pig. Conmiclbooks.conn