recognised as that of Daddy Brown; " I guess
her skipper don't know this coast. The fool's
sure to bump ashore, soon or late."

" A good job if she came ashore within our
bounds!" exclaimed the younger, who was no
other than Japhet Brown; " deep laden as she
is; there'd be pickings worth a wet-jacket. We
haven't had a clutch at such a critter, not since
the——"

"Hush!" prudently observed old Brown,
who had just turned his head, and caught a
glimpse of me; " hush! there's ears about."

Japhet reddened and frowned very sulkily as
I descended the sandhill and wished him and
his father " good-day." But Mr. Brown was
very bland. " Glad to tumble on you again,
Britisher! Han't seen you these two months agone.
Dirty weather!"

Our conversation was not a long one, and we
soon parted. But, to my great surprise, when
I got near home I heard some one panting after
me, and up came Japhet at a run. " Father
says," he gasped out, " says yew would do him
proud if yew'd look in at Fruit Creek to night.
The gals have got a party—a frolic to shell corn-
cobs and string 'em—and there's lots of neighbours
comin', both men and women. We have
a dance and games, and a supper fit for the
President. Will you come?"

Now if I had consulted my own inclinations,
I should have declined, but I was anxious to
give no offence, and I knew that my refusal
would probably be attributed to the pride of
superior station and acquirements, so I
accepted.

"That's right, chap!" said Japhet, drawing
a long breath: "I hate a fellow to be nasty
proud, I do. Ah, yew and we might work well
together, and yew'd make a better thing of it
than the State salary, if yew only knew which
side your bread was buttered.

"What do you mean?"

But Japhet turned on his heel with a horse-
laugh, saying in a loud voice,

"Never yew mind; recklect yew've promised
to come. Folks gather at six. Don't be later
nor the half-past, chap!"

Off he went. I went home, and, as I turned
my head in the act of crossing the threshold,
I saw the same ship still within a mile of the
shore. The dusk was deepening fast into the
obscurity of night, but I could see that she
was making slow progress, while there was
every indication of a storm. I went up the
ladder, lighted and arranged my lamps with my
accustomed care, and then sat down to read
for awhile. At half-past five, I made such
slight alterations in my dress as were necessary,
threw my mackintosh cloak over my shoulders,
and after a glance at the beacon, prepared to
set out. I had never before left the lamps to
burn in my absence.

I had a long and disagreeable walk to Fruit
Creek; the wind had begun to moan and shriek,
my cloak flew out and tugged at my shoulders
as if to hold me back, and my feet stumbled
among the sand-hills.

It was very dark, and
rain and sleet came driving before the gale.
After my weary tramp along the desolate shore,
I thought that Daddy Brown's house, with a
ruddy radiance streaming from its windows, and
its principal apartment crowded with men,
matrons, girls, and striplings, presented a cheerful
scene. There was abundance of fun, laughter,
and hearty mirth at this " frolic." An endless
country dance was achieved by a score of couples,
with an obligato accompaniment of stamping
and clapping of hands; songs were sung, games,
such as hunt-the-slipper and blind-man's-buff,
were played. At another time I should have
watched the scene with keen interest; but on
this particular evening my spirits were low,
and my heart was heavy within me.
Something like a foreboding weighed me down, in
spite of all my efforts not to play the part of
kill-joy. Daddy Brown seemed very glad to see
me, and so did Japhet, but it struck me that
Mrs. Brown looked at me with rather a scared
glance. Curiously enough, though the three
daughters were all dancing as vigorously as if
life itself depended on their exertions, Seth
and 'Symmachus, the younger sons, were
absent.

"The boys are all right," said Daddy Brown,
in answer to my inquiry; " they're out late;
been over to the main, after ducks. We'll see
'em afore supper time, Britisher."

I declined dancing, and for some time
contented myself with the part of a spectator. But
the fiddling, laughter, and loud talking, jarred
on my ears; I became more and more oppressed
by the gloom that had clouded my mind, why, I
knew not; and at last I could bear it no longer.
Watching my opportunity, I slipped out
unobserved, and set out on my lonely homeward
walk.

About half way from the lighthouse, two men,
with their heads depressed, as they pushed their
way against the wind and rain, came hurrying
rapidly past, and crossed me without seeing me.
They were of much the height and build of Seth
Brown and his brother; but what errand could
possibly have taken them to the Cape, when
their father had accounted so plausibly for their
absence?

A vague formless misgiving came to chill my
heart with dread. What errand could have led
those two young men to my desolate dwelling
on a night of revelry? I set my teeth and
strode on faster. Was that lightning, that red
flash through the darkness to seaward? No.
After a pause came the sullen boom of a cannon.
A signal of distress, no doubt, from some ship
in peril. I pressed on. At last I could see the
lighthouse, sending, as usual, its friendly beams
of radiance far over the roaring sea. As usual?
No, for my practised eye soon detected a change.
The red light burnt alone; the green lamp was
gone!

"Great Heaven!" I cried, aloud, "this is
some dreadful accident, or else villains have
been tampering with the lights! Those young
ruffians—the ship—the invitation—I see it!"
With a groan I set off to run at my utmost