Witch Hazel; or, The Secret of the Locket — page 134: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

bright to them; the day was one of intoxicating beauty, and it did not matter yery uch whether they were wedged between two rocks, or skimming vayly over the shimmering water, with that delight- ful breeze playing about them and with each other for company; only that pretty island did look tan- talizingly inviting, with its swaying pines, its climh- ing vines, and beautiful ferus and tangled under- growth pie vefore them. Their burst of merriment had scarcely died away when it was repeated close by, but in a rich, manly tone, and it rang out with an amusement and hearti- ness which betrayed a keen appreciation of the situation. Both girls turned at the sound, and saw a boatman just rounding the point of the island nearest them. He was young—about Perey’s age, Hazel thought, with a strong, well-knit form, auburn hair, an at- tractive face, anda pair of merry blue eyes, which just now were twinkling with fun and an intense en- joymeut of the ludicrous predicament in which he found the young girls. oe vigorous strokes brought him close beside them. “Your pardon, ladies,”’ he said, resting on his oars, which he clasped with one hand, while with the other he politely lifted the broad-brimmed straw hat from his finely shaped head; ‘but truly I could not resist having my littlelaugh at your expense, since, only yesterday, I found inyself in the same unfortu- nate situation, and, my boat being much larger and heavier than yours, I had to possess my soul in pa- tience ; I sat-here six hours, and awaited the pleas- es ge ee ea é ina . ; “Oh! and were you all alone?” asked _ Belle, wi the outspoken freedom of girlhood, anacoHiaee tie