A strange thrill it gave to the young squire to see
the well-remembered white dress once more, and to hear the
measured tolling of the deep vespers bell. At early dawn they
passed across the broad, sluggish, reed-girt stream--men, horses,
and baggage in the flat ferry barges--and so journeyed on through
the fresh morning air past Exbury to Lepe. Topping the heathy
down, they came of a sudden full in sight of the old sea-port--a
cluster of houses, a trail of blue smoke, and a bristle of masts.
To right and left the long blue curve of the Solent lapped in a
fringe of foam upon the yellow beach. Some way out from the town
a line of pessoners, creyers, and other small craft were rolling
lazily on the gentle swell. Further out still lay a great
merchant-ship, high ended, deep waisted, painted of a canary
yellow, and towering above the fishing-boats like a swan among
ducklings.
"By St. Paul!" said the knight, "our good merchant of Southampton
hath not played us false, for methinks I can see our ship down
yonder. He said that she would be of great size and of a yellow
shade.
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