Clara Maynard | Page 3

being consequently a
favourite with all classes. The more wealthy liked him for his pleasant
conversation and readiness to enter into all their gaieties and
amusements, and the poorer for the kind way in which he spoke to
them, and the assistance he afforded on all occasions when they were in
distress. He had lost his wife two or three years after he became vicar
of Luton-cum-Crosham. She had left two children, his dear little Mary,
and a son, Alfred, a tall, pale-faced youth, who was now on board the
yacht. The young gentleman had been with a tutor, and was about to go
up to Oxford. He was considered very well-behaved; but as he seldom
gave expression to his opinions, no one could ascertain much about his
character, or how he was likely to turn out. His father always spoke of

him as his good boy, who had never given him any trouble, and he fully
believed never would cause him a moments' anxiety. His tutor had sent
him home with a high character for diligence in his studies, and
attention to his religious duties, which consisted in a regular attendance
at church and at the morning and evening prayers of the family; and his
father was happy in the belief that he would do very well in the world
as a clergyman, or at the bar, or in any other profession he might select.
Still, Mary was undoubtedly his favourite, and on her he bestowed the
full affection of a father's heart. She was indeed a most loveable little
creature. Clara was especially fond of her. Mary was so clever and
sensible, that she was always a welcome guest at Luton. Besides the
persons already mentioned on board the yacht, there was Lieutenant
Sims, of the coastguard, with his wife and daughter; a Mrs and Miss
Prentiss, the latter young and pretty; Tom Wesby, a friend of Alfred
Lennard's, very like him in appearance and manner; and an artist
engaged in sketching in the neighbourhood, who had brought a letter of
introduction to Captain Maynard.
As the cutter rounded the headland before spoken of, most of the party
evinced their admiration of the scenery by expressions of delight, and
the artist exhibited his skill by making a faithful sketch in a few
minutes. The wind freshening, the cutter made rapid progress towards
the bay. Harry had taken the telescope, and was directing it towards the
shore.
"Some of our party are there already," he exclaimed; "I see my father
and Mr Lennard, and I conclude that the other people must be the new
vicar and his wife, from the unmistakable cut of the gentleman's coat,
and the lady's irreproachable costume. There are several more, though I
cannot exactly make out who they are; I see, however, that the servants
are bringing down the baskets of provisions, so we need have no fear of
starving."
"I did not expect that they would arrive so soon. The wind has been
light, and we have had the tide against us," observed Captain Maynard.
"It will run long enough, however, to take us home again, if you young
people are on board in good time. I must trust to you, Harry, to collect

all our passengers; or, should the wind drop, we may find ourselves
drifting down Channel for the best part of the night."
"Oh! that will be capital fun," cried Mrs Sims. "Mary, you'd like it
amazingly. We can sit on deck, and look at the stars, and sing songs,
and have our tea, and listen to the sailors' yarns--"
"And have the chance of being run down and sunk by one of those big
blundering iron steam-kettles," growled the lieutenant, who had the
antipathy long felt by old sailors to all the modern innovations, as he
considered them, in the navy.
As the cutter glided up towards the shore, the party standing on the
beach waved their handkerchiefs, and the ladies on board waved theirs.
The jib was taken in, the foresail hauled down, and the yacht rounding
to, the anchor was let drop at a short distance from the beach.
"Haul the boat up alongside, Tom," said Captain Maynard. "Now, Mr
Sims, I must get you to take charge of the first party for the shore."
"With the greatest pleasure in the world; I am always at the service of
the ladies," answered the lieutenant, bowing round to them, "but my
difficulty is to know who is to go first, unless I select by seniority. Miss
Sarah Pemberton, suppose I ask you--age before honesty, you know."
"You do not wish to insult me, Mr Sims?" answered the lady, bridling
up.
"Come, come, Sally, Sims never thought of such a thing; he was only
joking, or rather, let the words slip