The bell of the church across the harbor was ringing dreamily sweet . The mellow chime drifted through the dusk to mingle with the soft spring-moan of the sea . Captain Jim 's mayflowers added the last completing touch to the charm of the night . `` I have n't seen any this spring , and I 've missed them , '' said Anne , burying her face in them . `` They ai n't to be found around Four Winds , only in the barrens away behind the Glen up yander . I took a little trip today to the Land-of-nothing-to-do , and hunted these up for you . I reckon they 're the last you 'll see this spring , for they 're nearly done . '' `` How kind and thoughtful you are , Captain Jim . Nobody else -- not even Gilbert '' -- with a shake of her head at him -- `` remembered that I always long for mayflowers in spring . '' `` Well , I had another errand , too -- I wanted to take Mr. Howard back yander a mess of trout . He likes one occasional , and it 's all I can do for a kindness he did me once . I stayed all the afternoon and talked to him . He likes to talk to me , though he 's a highly eddicated man and I 'm only an ignorant old sailor , because he 's one of the folks that 's GOT to talk or they 're miserable , and he finds listeners scarce around here . The Glen folks fight shy of him because they think he 's an infidel . He ai n't that far gone exactly -- few men is , I reckon -- but he 's what you might call a heretic . Heretics are wicked , but they 're mighty int ` resting . It 's jest that they 've got sorter lost looking for God , being under the impression that He 's hard to find -- which He ai n't never . Most of 'em blunder to Him after awhile , I guess . I do n't think listening to Mr. Howard 's arguments is likely to do me much harm . Mind you , I believe what I was brought up to believe .
It saves a vast of bother -- and back of it all , XXXXX is good .
GOT God arguments face folks infidel listeners man men sailor