Nautilus by Laura E. Richards

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"I--I brought this!" said Mr. Bill Hen, holding up a small object. "I
went up into his room, to see if there was anything he might like, and
there warn't nothing but just this. I thought you'd like to have it,
Johnny, to take along with you."

The good man's voice faltered; John ran to the stern, and held out his
hands eagerly, tenderly, crying,--"Oh, thank you, dear Mr. Pike! thank
you so very, very much!"

For it was the china poodle that Mr. Bill Hen had brought. When the
treasure was safe in the child's hands, Mr. Bill Hen breathed more
freely.

"Now you'll have something to remember us by, Johnny!" he said. "We've
lotted on ye a good deal, here to the village; more maybe than you
thought on. I--I'll miss ye consid'able, off and on, ye see, off and on.
You'll think about us nows and thens, won't ye, Bub?"

"Oh, yes, indeed!" cried little John, eagerly. "I shall think of you a
great, great deal, Mr. Bill Hen! You have always been so good and kind
to me, and I shall miss you, too, and Lena, and lots of people. And--and
how is Cousin Scraper, please, Mr. Bill Hen? Does he miss me, do you
think?"

"He's all right!" replied Mr. Bill Hen, gruffly. "Doosn't seem none the
worse for his tantrum. No, if you ask me, I can't say as he seems to
miss ye, not anyways to hurt him, that is. He'll be out again to-morrow
all right, doctor says; and besides bein' rather uglier than common all
day, I don't see no difference in him."

John sighed, but not very heavily.

"I suppose if I had been nicer he might have missed me," he said; "but
then, on the other hand, if he missed me, he wouldn't be so comfortable
at my going away; so, you see!"

Mr. Bill Hen did not see, but he said it was of no consequence. Then,
coming to the edge of the wharf, he shook hands all round, never
noticing, in the preoccupation of his mind, the knife that Franci
flashed and brandished in his eyes as a parting dramatic effect. He held
John's hand long, and seemed to labour for words, but found none; and so
they slipped away and left him standing alone on the wharf, a forlorn
figure.

Down the river! Sailing, sailing over the magical waters, past the fairy
shores, already darkening into twilight shades of purple and gray. The
white schooner glided along, passing, as she had come, like a dream. In
the bow stood the Skipper, his eyes bent forward, his hand clasping fast
the hand of the child.

"We go, Colorado!" he said. "We go, my son, to new worlds, to a new
life. May a blessing be upon them, as my heart feels there will be.
Behold, my friend, the ways of God, very wonderful to men of the sea. I
come up this river, with what thoughts in my heart? Partly of curiosity,
that I see the place where my mother, long dead, was born, came to her
womanhood; partly of tenderness for her memory, regard for her wish;
partly, also, for anger at the villain brother, my uncle, and desire for
revenge, for my rights. I come, and I find--a child! A brother for my
present life, a son for my age, a friend for my heart! Living upon the
sea, Colorado, a man has much time for thought; the sea speaks to him,
the sky, the wind and wave. What is the word they say, each and every
one, in the ear of the sailor? 'Glory to God!' That is it, my son. Let
us give thanks, and begin with joy our new life together!"

Down the river! The banks fade into shadow, the breeze sinks away, but
still the tide flows free, and the schooner slips along like a spirit.
Now comes up the white fog, the fog out of which she came gliding that
first morning; and it receives her as a bride, and folds her in its
arms, and she melts into the whiteness and is gone. Was it all a dream?
Or does there still come back to us, faintly borne, sweetly ringing, the
song of the sailors?

[Music]

For-ev-er and for-ev-er I--o,
For-ev-er and for-ev-er boys, A long time a-go.

[Illustration]

The Hildegarde Series

AND OTHER BOOKS BY LAURA E. RICHARDS.

***Next to Miss Alcott's famous "Little Women" series they easily rank,
and no books that have appeared in recent times may be more safely put
into the hands of a bright, intelligent girl than these four "Queen
Hildegarde" books.

HILDEGARDE'S NEIGHBORS.

By Laura E. Richards. A companion to "Queen Hildegarde," etc.
Illustrated from original designs. Square 16mo, cloth. $1.25.

A new volume in the "Hildegarde" Series, some of the best and most
deservedly popular books for girls issued in recent years. This new
volume is fully equal to its predecessors in point of interest, and is
sure to renew the popularity of the entire series.

QUEEN HILDEGARDE.

A story for girls, by Laura E. Richards, author of "Captain January,"
etc. Illustrated from original designs by Garrett (292 pp). Square 16mo,
cloth. $1.25.

"We would like to see the sensible, heroine-loving girl in her early
teens who would not like this book. Not to like it would simply argue a
screw loose somewhere." _Boston Post._

HILDEGARDE'S HOLIDAY.

A companion to "Queen Hildegarde." By Laura E. Richards. Illustrated
with full-page plates by Copeland. Square 16mo, cloth. $1.25.

HILDEGARDE'S HOME.

By Laura E. Richards, author of "Queen Hildegarde," "Captain January,"
etc. Illustrated with original designs by Merrill. Square 16mo, cloth.
$1.25.

_ALSO_

FOUR FEET, TWO FEET, AND NO FEET;

Or, Furry and Feathery Pets, and How they Live. Stories of Animals,
Fishes and Birds for the Little Folks. Edited by Laura E. Richards.
Illustrated with nearly 250 wood engravings, all original in design, and
engraved by George T. Andrew. Quarto. Illuminated board covers. $1.75.

FIVE MICE IN A MOUSE TRAP.

The story of their lives and other wonderful things related by The Man
in the Moon, done in the vernacular from the lunacular form, by Laura E.
Richards, daughter of Julia Ward Howe, author of "Four Feet, Two Feet,
and No Feet," "Joyous Story of Toto," etc. With a large number of
beautiful illustrations by Addie Ledyard, Kate Greenaway and others.
Quarto. Illuminated board covers. $1.25.

SIX GIRLS.

A delightful book for girls. By Fannie Belle Irving, a gifted writer,
and niece of Washington Irving. Illustrated from designs by Merrill.
16mo, cloth. Boston. $1.25.

_Estes & Lauriat, Publishers, Boston._

Illustrated Gift Books

FOR ALL SEASONS.

AMERICA'S GODFATHER;

Or, the Florentine Gentleman. Being the story of Amerigo Vespucci. By
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_WILLIAM WARE'S BOOKS._

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_Estes & Lauriat, Publishers, Boston._

Italian Cities Illustrated

ROME OF TO-DAY AND YESTERDAY:

The Pagan Centuries. By John Dennie. New holiday edition. Illustrated
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NAPLES; THE CITY OF PARTHENOPE;

And its environs. By Clara Erskine Clement, author of "A Handbook of
Legendary and Mythological Art," "The Queen of the Adriatic," etc.
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Great Cities of the World.

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The initial volume of a new series of handsome gift books, companions to
the popular "Italian Cities Illustrated." Other volumes in press.

_Estes & Lauriat, Publishers, Boston._

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