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Updated: June 9, 2025
"He was the one who went to church with so much show and flourish, wasn't he?" asked Nautica. "Yes," answered the Commodore confidently, as he happened to have his book open at the right page. "Lord Delaware attended the little church in the wilderness in all state, accompanied by his council and guarded by fifty halberd bearers wearing crimson cloaks. He sat in a green velvet chair and "
By this time, the Commodore's mystery was a mystery no longer; and Nautica was laughing. "So that is to put an end to all my anxieties, is it?" "Just so," said the Commodore. "When that anxious feeling comes, watch the handkerchief. If it is moving toward the door, you may know that your fears are better grounded than the anchors; but if it is not, try to get a wink of sleep."
We then had the satisfaction of feeling that the spot our eyes rested upon was, in 1607, on the shore of the island, and was the place where the original settlers first landed. Nor was our satisfaction at all dampened by the discovery that the spot was two spots Nautica gazing spellbound at one place, and the Commodore at another.
Finding that the boat was settling upon fairly level bottom, and feeling that the farther she went the worse she would fare, we took our chances as to what might be under her and made no further effort. Nautica had a good motto, which was, "When in trouble, eat." So the next thing was dinner.
Then Nautica and the Commodore embarked in a shore-boat on a voyage of discovery, a search for the lost channel. By this time the water was but a few inches deep around the houseboat. Evidently, the explorers would not dare to go far or to be gone long for fear the ebbing tide would prevent their getting back. But it was not necessary to go far to find the channel.
Portions of two rooms had been disclosed and the stairway leading down into one of them. "Come down the stairs," said the proud lady in the cellar. "Oh, what narrow steps!" Nautica exclaimed. "They used to build out those brick treads with wood to make them wider," explained our hostess. "You can see where the wooden parts have been burned away."
A nod from Nautica put them at ease, and in a moment they were scattered all over the outside of the boat, calling to one another, peering into windows, and asking no end of questions. The boys proved helpful too. They were fisher-lads, well acquainted with those waters, and were better than the chart in guiding us among the shoals and into the channel of the creek.
Once Nautica had a charming creation, all verandas and overhanging roofs and things; but an old waterman came along and talked about wind and waves, and most of the overhanging art on that little houseboat disappeared under the eraser. "That's all good enough for one of those things you just tie to a bank and hang Chinese lanterns on," he said.
Then, Nautica spoke of how the very year that saw the beginning of free government in America saw the beginning of slavery too; and she asked Cornelius if he knew that the first coloured people were brought to America in 1619 and landed there at James Towne. "Yas'm; ev'ybody tole me 'bout dat. Seem like we got heah 'bout as soon as de white folks."
And the wind howled and the boat pitched; but Nautica gazed in such relief at the immovable handkerchief that she fell asleep in her chair. When she wakened with a start and looked anxiously at the handkerchief, it was too late the storm was over. In the morning there was nothing to show for all that night's commotion.
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