A light touch on her shoulder, and she turned to find her young mistress at her side.

“My poor old mammy, I bring you news you will be sorry to hear,” said Elsie, seating herself upon the ample lap, and laying her arm across the broad shoulders.

“What dat, honey?”

“We start to-morrow for Viamede; papa has sent John to engage our passage on the steamer.”

“Dat all, darlin’?” queried Chloe, with a sigh of relief, “if we’s got to go, might’s well go quick an’ hab it ober.”

“Well, I’m glad you take so sensible a view of it,” remarked Elsie, relieved in her turn; “and I hope you will find much less pain and more pleasure than you expect in going back to the old home.”

The next morning, as Mr. Dinsmore and his daughter sat upon the deck of the steamer, enjoying the sunlight, the breeze, and the dancing of the water, having cleared their port and gotten fairly out into the gulf, a startling incident occurred.

Chloe stood at a respectful distance, leaning over the side of the vessel, watching the play of the wheel and the rainbow in the spray that fell in showers at its every revolution.  An old negro busied about the deck; drew near and addressed her: 

“Well, auntie, you watchin’ dat ole wheel dar?  Fust time you trable on dis boat, eh?”

Chloe started at the sound of the voice, turned suddenly round and faced the speaker, her features working with emotion:  one moment of earnest scrutiny on the part of both, and with a wild cry, “Aunt Chloe! my ole woman,” “Uncle Joe! it can’t be you,” they rushed into each other’s arms, and hung about each other’s neck, weeping and sobbing like two children.

“Papa! what is it?” exclaimed Elsie, greatly surprised at the little scene.

“Her husband, no doubt:  he’s too old to be a son.”

“Oh, how glad, how glad I am!” and Elsie started to her feet, her eyes full of tears, and her sweet face sparkling all over with sympathetic joy.  “Papa, I shall buy him! they must never be parted again till death comes between.”

A little crowd had already gathered about the excited couple, every one on deck hurrying to the spot, eager to learn the cause of the tumult of joy and grief into which the two seemed to have been so suddenly thrown.

Mr. Dinsmore rose, and giving his arm to Elsie, led her towards the throng, saying in answer to her last remark, “Better act through me, then, daughter, or you will probably be asked two or three prices.”

“O papa, yes; please attend to it for me—­only—­only I must have him, for dear old mammy’s sake, at whatever cost.”

The crowd opened to the lady and gentleman as they drew near.

“My poor old mammy, what is it? whom have you found?” asked Elsie.

But Chloe was speechless with a joy so deep that it wore the aspect of an almost heart-breaking sorrow.  She could only cling with choking sobs to her husband’s arm.  “What’s all this fuss, Uncle Joe?” queried the captain.  “Let go the old darkie; what’s she to you?”