midnight
Judy lay on the sand watching the waves roll in , and thinking long thoughts . She thought of her father , living , perhaps , on some such lonely beach as this , but farther away from the haunts of men -- alone , looking at the same stars , searching a vaster expanse for the ship that never came . She thought , too , of her mother , the gentle mother , whose guarding presence she seemed to feel in the wonderful stillness . She thought of their plans for her ; that she might grow to gracious womanhood , following in the footsteps of the women of her race , and here she was -- a runaway , reckless little girl , away from home at midnight , chaperoned only by the wind and the waves , and with no roof above her but the sky ! Under the solemn canopy of the night she made many resolves , cried a little , and lay there with her eyes shut , but not asleep , feeling very wicked , and very forlorn , and very , very hopeless . When she opened her eyes again , the night was glorious . The moon had risen , and its light made a silver pathway across the darkness of the waters , and sailing straight towards her , its sails set to the fair winds of heaven , came a little boat , dark against the shining background .