Now, the place where we were offered the necessary accommodation consisted of an ancient plank-built tenement, which stood behind a sand-ridge that a far younger Atlantic than ours had piled up, and then, retreating, abandoned.  In winter this rude domicile was bare and tenantless; but in the summer months it was usually occupied by some thriftless gammer or gaffer from the main-land, who, having stocked it with a few of the coarsest household goods, and whatever provisions came to hand, offered entertainment to such wreckers and ‘soundsers’ as happened to be in its vicinity.  The present incumbent of the hostel was a woman, claiming to be a widow, of the name of Rose; bearing in most respects no resemblance whatever to any of her predecessors.  Where she was born, or had hitherto resided, none of us knew:  all that gossip could, gather was that she had unexpectedly descended from a passing vessel with her effects and entered directly the abandoned house.  When questioned as to the scene of her earlier life, she vaguely gave answer that she had disported herself largely in ‘Philadelphy;’ but as no ‘Philadelphy’ woman that ever walked through a doorway was or is able to compound a chowder or bake a clam pie worthy of the name, and as Madame Rose understood how to prepare both these luxuries to a charm, her statement must have been false; she was, undoubtedly, a ‘coast-wise’ lady, and one who knew who Jack was as well as he himself did.  Her appearance was, on the whole, agreeable.  She was tall, slender, of regular features, and, though indisputably on the shady side of forty, was still free from any signs that would proclaim her charms to be on the wane.  I remember in particular that she had long, white and regular teeth, thereby strongly contrasting with our native women, who as a rule lose their teeth early.  Her manners were very novel to us.  She was invariably of a simpering, ducking turn, and interlarded her curt speech with curiously hard words.  In dress she carried matters with an incomparably high hand.  She wore hoops ’all day long,’—­a freak then never even so much as thought of in our village,—­adorned her fingers with many rings, and her throat with large florid brooches, and in the evening, after having brought her household duties to a close, sat here or there with her sewing, in silks (though perhaps not of the newest), or other highly-civilized stuffs.

Most of our crew regarded their hostess with greatly mingled feelings; but old Bill entertained but one sentiment for her,—­that of unqualified admiration.  As we only ‘wrought’ at the stranded schooner on the high water,—­some five hours out of the twenty-four,—­he had plenty of opportunity to dangle after his dearie, and did so unremittingly.  While the rest of us were either napping, dancing the lively ‘straight four,’ hunting herns’ eggs among the sand-hills, and so on, according to our inclination, he, in far more romantic mood, seized all possible opportunities to quickly gather fire-wood for his charmer, fill her