George's Chapel in Nassau
Street, which had been completed less than three years before, and
which secured Robert's admiration for its height and impressiveness.
The aspect of the whole town was a mixture of English and Dutch, but
they saw many sailors who were of neither race. Some were brown men
with rings in their ears, and they spoke languages that Robert did not
understand. But he knew that they came from far southern seas and that
they sailed among the tropic isles, looming large then in the world's
fancy, bringing with them a whiff of romance and mystery.
The sidewalks in many places were covered with boxes and bales brought
from all parts of the earth, and stalwart men were at work among
them. The pulsing life and the air of prosperity pleased Robert. His
nature responded to the town, as it had responded to the woods, and
his imagination, leaping ahead, saw a city many times greater than the
one before his eyes, though it still stopped far short of the gigantic
reality that was to come to pass.
"It's not far now to Master Hardy's," said Willet cheerfully. "It's
many a day since I've seen trusty old Ben, and right glad I'll be to
feel the clasp of his hand again.
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