"Sam suddenly stepped upon the rail, steadying himself by the mast.
"Mrs. Sickles," he cried, "I"ll put it plainer to you: supposing you couldn"t get the gilded idol?"
"Mrs. Sickles now saw very clearly that there was no more time for hesitation. She stepped a little forward.
""In that case," she said, "I"d take the conch-sh.e.l.l."
"With a bound, Sam Twitty sprang from the sh.o.r.e, and the next moment he had seized the blushing Mrs. Sickles by the hand. For a moment he gazed proudly around, the sunset light casting a ruddy glow upon his countenance which made it almost as rosy as that of his companion. Then he tucked her under his arm and turned toward the minister.
""Please step this way, Mr. Rippledean," he said. "That little bluff there, with gra.s.s on it, is the place I"ve picked out for the ceremony.
And, Cap"n Abner, I"ll ask you and that young woman to follow along after us and stand up for witnesses."
"Just as the upper edge of the sun disappeared beneath the glowing sea, the name of Sickles departed from observation and recognition on that line of longitude. But in the glow upon the faces of Mr. and Mrs. Twitty there was nothing to remind one of a sunset sky. It might have been supposed, rather, that they were gazing eastward, and that the morn was glorious.
"Having gravely saluted his bride, Sam lifted up his voice. He was used to that sort of thing, for he had been a boatswain. "Cap"n Abner Budlong," he exclaimed, "step aft and kiss the bride!"
"When this command had been obeyed with urbane alacrity, Sam called out again, very much as if he were piping all hands to osculation: "Rev. Mr. Rippledean, step aft and kiss the bride!"
"When the minister had retired from the performance of his duty, Sam cast a speaking glance in the direction of Miss Denby. He looked as if he would say that on this occasion it was a great pity that any one should be left out. The girl of the buggy understood his glance, and lifted up her voice in laughter.
""Oh, no, Mr. Twitty," said she, "it is not the custom to kiss witnesses."
""Oh, no," answered Mrs. Twitty, in tones of approbation; and these were the first words she spoke after she had ceased to be Sickles.
"As that boat of blissfulness sped across the bay, speeding along under a strong breeze from the west, under a sky full of orange-colored clouds, Sam Twitty"s strong hand grasped the tiller with an energy which would have been sufficient for the guidance of a ship of the line. As the thin sheets of water curled over the lee scuppers of the boat, the right hand which held Sam"s left never trembled nor tightened its hold; and when the clergyman, sitting by Miss Denby, asked her if she felt at all afraid, she cheerily replied:
""Not with the gilded idol and the king conch-sh.e.l.l both on board--no, not I!"
"The honeymoon of Mr. and Mrs. Twitty was spent in Thompsontown, and lasted three days; for at the end of that time the bride"s brother demanded to be released from the care of the toll-gate, having other duties which were inc.u.mbent upon him. But when Sam and his wife spoke of leaving the Spinnaker Boom, Captain Abner was perfectly willing to go with them. His face bore an expression of contented resignation.
""I will drive you two back, Sam," said he. ""Tain"t no more use for me to stay here. I don"t believe I"ll find her, and I give it up."
"On the way home the happy Mr. Twitty burst out laughing. "It do seem awful comical, Cap"n Abner," said he, "that, after all we said about comin" home, that me and her should be a-settin" on the back seat and you a-drivin" in front alone." And when this remark was explained to Mrs. Twitty she laughed very heartily indeed.
"Sam did not go directly back to Shamrick. His wife had a good house, and could not, without due notice, give up her public office, and so he determined to remain, for the present, in the very pleasant quarters thus afforded him. But he vowed with considerable vehemence that Mrs. Twitty should keep the toll-gate no more; this duty, so long as it had to be performed, he would take upon himself, and he found it a most congenial and interesting occupation.
""Like it!" he exclaimed to his wife, after his first day"s experience.
"It"s as interestin" as readin" the weekly paper. Everybody that comes along seems ready for some different kind of chat. And when that young woman with the buggy happens to be drivin" this way, she don"t pay no toll. I"ll pay for her myself, every time, on account of her services as witness."
""No, you don"t, Sam Twitty," remarked his consort; "that young woman pays her own toll, every time. While I"m here I don"t want no changes in the customs of this toll-gate."
"It was about a fortnight after Sam Twitty"s wedding that that well-satisfied individual, being called to the gate by the sound of wheels, beheld a buggy, and Miss Denby sitting therein. In answer to Sam"s cheerful greeting, she did not laugh, nor even smile.
""I saw your friend Captain Abner about a week ago," she said, "as I drove through Shamrick, and he looked dreadfully solemn. I think his disappointment is wearing on him. It is a great pity that a man who can sail a boat as he can should have a moment"s sorrow on this earth. It almost made me feel sorry he found out I wanted to learn to steer. I think that was the only barrier between us. And he would have taken me out sailing every fine day!"
""Oh, no, no," said Sam; "that would never have done. You could never have kept your hands off the tiller. If he had known what was good for him he would have married her." These words he spoke in a confidential tone, and pointed with his thumb behind him. "But he had the chance, and he didn"t take it, and now I don"t wonder he"s doleful."
""You ought to go and try to cheer him up," said Miss Denby, gathering up the reins. "Do you expect to go on keeping this toll-gate, Mr. Twitty?"
""I"d like to," said Sam, "if you"re goin" to keep on travellin" this way."
""Oh!" said Miss Denby, with a reproving smile.
""Yes, indeed," said Sam; "for it reminds me of such a happy day."
""Oh!" said Miss Denby, as she drove away with her nose in the air.
"A few days after this Sam did go to Shamrick, and walking on the street he met Captain Abner; but, to his surprise, that individual did not look at all doleful. There was a half-smile on his lips, and his step was buoyant. The two old friends clasped hands with much heartiness.
""You are as gay as a pot of red paint," said Sam. "You must be feelin"
well."
""I should say so," said Abner; and then, after a portentous pause, he added: "I"ve got her."
""Got her!" exclaimed Sam, in amazement. "Where did you get her?"
""Got her here."
""And who is it you"ve got?"
""Susan Sh.e.l.lbark."
""Susan Sh.e.l.lbark!" cried Sam. "You don"t mean to say that!"
""It"s Susan Sh.e.l.lbark, and I do mean to say that."
""Why, you"ve known her all your life," said Sam.
""All my life," was the answer.
""Then why didn"t you take her afore?" asked his friend.
""Because I hadn"t been to Thompsontown to see what I could get there.
Of course I didn"t want to take anybody here until I found out what there was in Thompsontown. Now I know there ain"t nothin" for me there."
""And so you take Susan Sh.e.l.lbark!" interrupted Sam.
""And so I take Susan Sh.e.l.lbark."
"Sam looked at his friend for a moment, and then burst out laughing.
"Give me your hand," he cried. "I"m mighty glad you"ve got Susan Sh.e.l.lbark, and I"m mighty glad you went to Thompsontown."
""So am I," said Captain Abner. "If I hadn"t gone to Thompsontown I"d never have got Susan Sh.e.l.lbark."
""That"s so," cried Sam. "And if you hadn"t made up your mind to go to Thompsontown, you and me"d never got stuck at the toll-gate with nothin"
but a five-dollar note. I"m mighty glad we was stuck, Cap"n Abner; I"m mighty glad we was stuck!"