in the valley. Even though they come down from great Hercules himself,

never have they been crossed by a prettier foot or a fairer form than

now came gayly over them. But the rabbits made no account of that. To

the young man with the adze they were quite accustomed, and they liked

him, because he minded his own business, and cared nothing about theirs;

but of this wandering maiden they had no safe knowledge, and judged the

worst, and all rushed away, some tenscore strong, giving notice to him

as they passed the boat that he also had better be cautious.

Daniel was in a sweet temper now, by virtue of hard labor and gratified

wit. By skill and persistence and bodily strength he had compassed a

curve his father had declared impossible without a dock-yard. Three

planks being fixed, he was sure of the rest, and could well afford to

stop, to admire the effect, and feel proud of his work, and of himself

the worker. Then the panic of the conies made him turn his head, and the

quick beat of his heart was quickened by worse than bodily labor.

Miss Dolly Darling was sauntering sweetly, as if there were only one

sex in the world, and that an entirely divine one. The gleam of spring

sunset was bright in her hair, and in the soft garnish of health on

her cheeks, and the vigorous play of young life in her eyes; while the

silvery glance of the sloping shore, and breezy ruffle of the darkening

sea, did nothing but offer a foil for the form of the shell-colored

frock and the sky-blue sash.

Young Daniel fell back upon his half-shaped work, and despised it, and

himself, and everything, except what he was afraid to look at. In the

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