We managed to keep the child warm; but, I doubt if any one
else among us ever was warm for five minutes together; and the shivering,
and the chattering of teeth, were sad to hear. The child cried a little
at first for her lost playfellow, the Golden Mary; but hardly ever
whimpered afterwards; and when the state of the weather made it possible,
she used now and then to be held up in the arms of some of us, to look
over the sea for John Steadiman's boat. I see the golden hair and the
innocent face now, between me and the driving clouds, like an angel going
to fly away.
It had happened on the second day, towards night, that Mrs. Atherfield,
in getting Little Lucy to sleep, sang her a song. She had a soft,
melodious voice, and, when she had finished it, our people up and begged
for another. She sang them another, and after it had fallen dark ended
with the Evening Hymn. From that time, whenever anything could be heard
above the sea and wind, and while she had any voice left, nothing would
serve the people but that she should sing at sunset.
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