"Charlie," said Captain Rhines "in the morning
you and John must go and see old Mrs. Yelf."

" O, sir, I can't go anywhere or do anything till
I see father and mother."



TSLLINa AND HBABINO THE liTEWS. 68

" You must see her, because the poor old lady
won't live long, and she longs to see you. It
will take but a few minutes to go over in the
morning, and then John can set you on to the
island."



64 THB HABD-SCBABBLB OF SLH ISLAin>.
CHAPTER Vn.
CHAELTE AT HOME AGAIN.
The next morning, after making their call upon
Mrs. Yelf, greatly to the old lady's Batisfaction,
they started for Elm Island.
Ben and Sally, having been informed by Cap-
tain Rhines of the time at which the boys would
start, and of the manner in which they expected
to come, were equally, with him, eagerly expect-
ing their arrival.
Many times she left her work during the day,
and went to the door to see if they were coming.
During the period that had elapsed since the brief
but glorious career of the West Wind, the old
dugouts had either passed into oblivion, or were
debased to mere tenders for the whaleboats, which
were kept afloat at their moorings, or even used as
cars (cages) to keep lobsters and clams alive in.
