As the ship moved away from the wharf, and was towed by the steam-tug into the stream, M. T. Pate stood upon the deck, humming a stanza of Byron's celebrated adieu to his native land, when he heard a strain of music as if coming from the clouds. From the foretop, in clear and mellifluous tones, was heard the following melody:
Farewell! farewell! but ever, When wand'ring o'er the sea, Though worlds of water sever, This heart shall turn to thee.
Though thy sweet smile be hidden Unto my soul so dear; Though I be then forbidden Thine angel voice to hear;
Though stern fate bid me wander Away from thee afar, Yet hope will turn the fonder Unto its one bright star.
The bird that on the bough, love, So sweetly sang of late, Hath often been ere now, love, Thus driven from his mate;
But still he wakes his song, love, Returning there anew; And thus, oh, thus, ere long, love, Will I return to you.
"A sweet little cherub sits up aloft to cheer us with his soothing symphony," said Professor to Toney.
"It is Tom Seddon," said Toney, glancing upward. "Just now he climbed up the rigging, inserted his person through the lubber's hole, and seated himself in the foretop."
"Where he is laudably exercising his lungs for the entertainment of the company below," said the Professor.
"Poor Tom is not thinking of the company below," said Toney. "His thoughts are far away."
"With Ida?" said the Professor. "Yet one of the company below seems to be wonderfully excited by his music. Did you ever hear such a clatter of hoofs?"
"You refer to the young gentleman on the top of the cook's galley, who is occupied with certain saltatory movements which appear to be an awkward imitation of dancing?" said Toney.
"The verdant youth who is sometimes called the Long Green Boy?" said the Professor.
"This extraordinary lad seems to possess the chameleon-like faculty of occasionally changing his color," said the Professor.
"He has ceased to be green for the present, and has become exceedingly _blue_."
"That depends entirely on circumstances," said the Professor. "If on dry land a man makes a pun in your presence, knock him down if you are able."
"Pun away as much as you please. In Neptune's dominions the area of liberty is ample, and freedom of speech is seldom interfered with."