“You have spoken too truly, mother; may you be able to bear up under this affliction;” and she put the note into her mother’s hand.

“My eyes fail me, my child!  If it is not asking of you too much, tell me what were his last words; they will fall more gently on my heart;” and the tones of the Sea-flower were of comfort as she read:—­

“My dear Mother—­In the ship Nautilus, which will sail from this port on the 20th of October, I have shipped for a Cape Horn voyage.  You will hardly believe what you read; nevertheless, it is true.  I was very much disappointed that I could not go with father, and thought I would wait patiently until his return; but gaining permission from my present captain to accompany him, I could not resist the temptation.  I know I shall do very wrong in going away without your consent, but forgive me, if you can, mother; ’t is the only act in which I have ever given you sorrow, or by which I ever shall.  You shall hear from me as often as I can get an opportunity of sending home, and it will not be a great while before I shall be with you again.  I shall not forget my prayers night and morning; and I know you will not cease to pray for your son, though he should fall to the lowest depths of degradation.  Tell father, when you write him, that I have disobeyed his word; but ask him if he cannot forgive me.  It is possible that I may meet with him upon the ocean, and may we both be spared to make you happy, my dear mother.  Farewell, from your affectionate son.”

“I do forgive you, my son, in this cruel step which you have taken; indeed, but how could he do thus?  Oh, how could he!” and Mrs. Grosvenor, overcome with her emotion, sank back in her chair.

“De good Lord be praised, missy! but I not tink it eber come to dis.  To be sure, massa Wendall often tell me, eber since dat day, dat I getting too full ob laugh, dat one extreme follow anoder; but I never tink young massa take hesef clean off!” and, wiping the whites of his eyes, he went out to hunt up old Nep to share his grief; but he soon returned, and locking the door after him, proceeded to fasten every window in the house.

Sea-flower, who was bathing her mother’s temples, observing what the negro was about, was at a loss to account for his movements; but knowing he disliked to be questioned upon points touching his judgment, she humored him by letting him have his own way, till finally, he peered into his mistress’s face, and in a voice scarcely above a whisper, said, “Dar, missy, de rest ob us am safe! he no cotch any more dis time!”

“What is it?  Vingo, what has happened?”

“Ah, little missy, if I wasn’t clean gone tuck! ’pears like I never shall get ober it.”

“What is the matter, Vingo?”

“Well, missy Sea-flower, I tinks it am de ebil one dat has taken dem away, after all; for dat dog neber go ’way peaceably wid anyting short ob de debil; he got too much de spirit ob his massa to be afeard ob anyting dat belong on dis earth!”