After this we strolled back, to find Susie sitting on the little porch as she mopped her face with her blue apron.

“Look at this silly girl,” said Miss Jelliffe.  “She has been weeping off and on like a Niobe, and makes me feel like crying too.  Among us poor women tears are dreadfully contagious things, and I’m trying hard to escape the infection.”

“I can’t help it,” said the girl, showing a red nose and swollen eyes.  “Sweetapple Cove ain’t a-goin’ ter be the same place after you folks goes.  ’Course I knows ye’d have no room fer a girl like me over ter yer place in Ameriky.  ’Tain’t my fault if we Newfoundlanders is said ter be that green th’ devil has to put us in th’ smoke-house ter dry afore we’ll burn.  Ye’d ought ter have hustled me hard an’ said mean things ter me.  Then I’d ‘a’ been glad when ye left.  It’s a sight better ter say good riddance ter bad rubbish than ter lose people one’s fond of.”

She was bravely trying to smile, and accused herself of being a silly fool.  Miss Jelliffe put her hand on the girl’s shoulder.

“You never said you would like to go with us, Susie,” she said.  “I’ll be only too glad to take you if you want to come.”

“Now don’t be after foolin’ me jest ter make me stop greetin’ like a silly calf!” exclaimed Susie.  “Yer sure don’t mean it, does yer?”

“Now I am determined to take you if I have to tie you up and have you carried on board by the crew,” laughed Miss Helen, whereupon a broad smile illumined the girl’s face.

“If I doesn’t allers do what yer tells me to,” she declared, “ye kin take me by the scruff of me neck an’ ship me back ter work on the flakes again.  Oh, Lord!  I got ter run off an’ tell the folks.  I’ll jest be back in a minute.”

She scampered up the path, scaring two goats and sending a hen flying over some palings into a cabbage patch, while we entered the house.

“I am afraid I have come to say good-by, Mr. Jelliffe,” I said to Mr. Jelliffe.  “I rather think that some one is coming for me to go to the Bay, and I shall probably not be back in time to see you off.  Be very prudent about using your leg and have some one hold your arm when you move about the yacht.”

“Hold on!” exclaimed Mr. Jelliffe.  “First I want to thank you ever so much for the excellent care you have taken of me, and for your kindness to Helen.  You have been exceedingly good and attentive to us both.  And I want to say that I think you are doing fine work in this jumping-off place, and it seems a pity that a man like you should be wasted here.  Now here’s a bit of paper in this envelope, and you can spend it on codfish or codfisherrnen, just as you please.  Thank you again for my spliced leg, it’s a fine job.”

He put out his hand, which I shook heartily.  Indeed I felt very sorry over this separation.  These people are friends such as I have never had yet, and the salt of the earth.

When I sought to open the door I was compelled to push hard against the force of the fierce wind that had arisen during our conversation.  The rocky spurs which close in the cove were now a foaming mass over which mighty combers were hurling themselves, to the shrieking of the gale.