CHAPTER XIII.

Dream on, young hearts, dream on, dream on,

But dream of all things gay;

Dream that the morrow will be bright,

As bright as yesterday.

ON entering, we found that Captain Atherling had already breakfasted, and a message left for me that, having been unexpectedly called from home on business of importance, which would occupy him until dinner time, he trusted that I would lay everything under contribution to promote my amusement during his absence.

"So you see," said I, handing the note to Miss Atherling, "you are bound to honour and obey me, for this day at least."

She smiled, and blushing slightly, bowed in acquiescence, with mock solemnity.

Breakfast over, we hastened to put Margaret's project into execution, and, having summoned Neptune as a companion, started on our excursion in high spirits, and certainly neither of us appeared to regret the old gentleman's absence.

A walk of half-an-hour, down a very pretty and secluded lane, enclosed by "hedgerows green," now whitened by the may, with here and there a wild rose peeping forth, and vieing in its modest and unpretending beauty with the dazzling whiteness of the hawthorn, and smelling sweetly of Spring and its sweetest flowers, and such a lane as is to be found in England alone, brought us to the banks of the Thames. Here we found a boat awaiting us, and, having dispensed with the services of the waterman, we were soon gliding quietly along the smooth surface of the stream. It was a lovely day, somewhat overcast, but still warm and balmy, with a soft air, which at intervals swept over the face of the waters, too gentle to raise even the smallest ripple, yet of sufficient strength, notwithstanding, to impart a delightful coolness, and waft to our senses the blended perfumes of the numerous wild flowers which flourished in the greatest profusion, and enamelled the banks on which they grew with every variety of colour.

The scenery was beautiful—indeed, such as almost to baffle description; for the stillness that prevailed, the reflection of the banks, and the trees with their pendant boughs dipped listlessly into the cool stream, which, in its clearness, seemed as though it wooed their embrace, and the islands, like so many emeralds set in a diamond-sea, gave the appearance more of fairy-land than of earth, and almost cheated me into

the fancy that Nature was at rest, and tricked out in holiday attire for us, and us only, and we gliding upon a sea of glass which, showing a heaven beneath, tempted one to plunge in and break the spell that chained the imagination almost beyond endurance. There is a feeling of exquisite delight imparted to one of a contemplative turn of mind by such scenes as these, when, borne along at the will of the waters, his bark noiselessly proceeds on her course, and the mind is insensibly led to think of holy things and pure, the world and all its vanities shut out from view, as though to illustrate the beauties of innocent recreation, and the folly of those who, by a life of turmoil amid a heartless and giddy world, seek, with a strong hand, to obtain that happiness they would fain hope to be real, but which, in truth, is but a phantom ever eluding their grasp, and luring on only to destroy.

Such appeared to be the feelings both of Margaret and myself; for, except when some object more beautiful than another arrested our attention to elicit remark or admiration, we exchanged but few words, and these far between. For myself, I could not speak. Who can in the presence of the being he loves best on earth? And yet what so speaking as the eloquence, as it were, of that silence which emanates from mutual sympathy and the consciousness of the sympathy that creates it, as though every thought were in unison, and it would be but a waste of words

to embody in language what is known already to exist, the expression of which would dispel the charm, even if words could convey the deep impassioned tone of feeling which such an hour too sacred to be lightly trenched upon, cannot fail to impart. For myself, I cared not how long this state of things was to last, for I was in the presence of Margaret, and there was a music in her voice, and a charm in every thing she said, that caused me to listen to all she uttered with rapture, and I was so entranced by the one allengrossing circumstance of being alone with her, that I could have remained till doomsday, if required, nor have wished to break the spell. The conversation of the morning, too, had its share in my thoughts, and I was resolved, ere the day closed, to have the mystery cleared up, and to know whether I had indeed created an interest in her bosom for me. Revolving, then, in my own mind times past and present, and speculating on the future, at length I became so completely absorbed by reflection, that it was not until I had run the boat among the branches of a weeping willow, which hung in their luxuriance far over the water, and formed a delightful shade from the scorching rays of the noonday sun, that I was roused from my reverie; and, in truth, it was high time, for I was as near as possible being not only dragged out, but also meeting with the fate of Absolom, and it was only by the head of the boat

becoming firmly fixed in the bank, which checked it in mid career, and placed me, like another Jack-inthe-green, in the boughs of the tree, that I escaped such a catastrophe. Margaret laughed immoderately at the predicament into which my absence of mind. had brought us, and having indulged in no little raillery at my expense, asked me, with the utmost gravity, what on earth I could be thinking of to do such a strange thing.

I could not help laughing at my awkwardness, especially as I plumed myself not a little on my skill as a waterman, and, of course, was ambitious of appearing to the best advantage in the eyes of my mistress.

At length having, with difficulty, got out of the scrape, Margaret proposed that we should land at some little distance below, and saunter among the trees awhile. I readily consented, and having run the boat's head into the shore purposely this time, I offered my hand, and helped the delighted girl to land in safety.

"You seem to know this place well," said I, as she led the way through some rather intricate paths into the woods.

"It would be strange, indeed," replied she, " did I not, for many years of my childhood were passed in the immediate vicinity, under the roof of a dear uncle; and I will take you now and introduce

you to him and my pretty cousin, so you must beware of

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