22 THE COUSINS.

of land you pass in coming from the sea to New
York. Early as it was, Mr. Lovett, who wished
Mary to see the light-house, while its light still
beamed upon the water, like a large and brilliant
star, wrapped her up warmly and took her on
deck with him. It wasa cold day, and the air
had a sharp, cutting feeling, which Mary had
never experienced before. It made the tears
come in her eyes, but she had too much curiosity
about the land they were approaching, and which
it would soon be light enough for her to see dis-
tinctly, to be willing to leave the deck. Mr. Lo-
vett gathered together all the blankets, and cloaks,
and shawls he could, and, getting a little nook
for her, sheltered from the wind by the bales of
cotton with which the vessel was freighted, he
suffered her to stay with him.

As the light from the light-house grew dim,
what had seemed to Mary to be great clouds
lying along the edge of the sky, so low that they
touched the water, became more distinct in form
and colour. They were the hills of Neversink,
in New Jersey. Mary, who had lived always in
a level country, and who had never seen a hill of