Page:Salem - a tale of the seventeenth century (IA taleseventeenth00derbrich).pdf/96

 "Guess, grannie, guess. I will give you three chances. See if you can guess."

"Na', na', Allie, my lass, I kin na' guess; I am na' guid at the guessin'. Sure ye wad na' hae been to Nurse's Farm agin sa sune—wad ye?"

"Oh, no, grandmother! Of course I would not go so soon; but I have been quite as far, I think. Ah! you will never guess; I shall have to tell you. I have been out on the water."

"My darlin', an' is that sae?"

"Yes, indeed, I have. I went down to the shore just for a walk, and the water looked so calm and blue, and our boat was so nice (you know Winny cleaned it out for me last week), that I felt as if I must have a little row. You know I have not been out all winter in her, and I meant only to take a little pull, just to limber my arms a little; but the boat was so trim and nice, the day was so fine and still, and the water was so calm, I went on and rowed across to Marblehead."

"To Marblehead? My certies, that wa' a lang pull for the first ane, I'm thinkin'.