more especially when you sit ''Mid sunshine throned, and all alone.'" 

 "But I'm not all alone, Dick." 

 "No; I'm here," said a voice, and Dorothy appeared with her small and fluffy kitten under her arm as usual.  "We are waiting for Mr. Selwyn, you know. We've waited, oh! a long, long time, but he hasn't come, and Auntie says he's a beast, and—" 

 "Dorothy!" exclaimed Lisbeth, frowning. 

 "Yes, you did, Auntie," sad Dorothy, nodding her head.  "I heard you when Louise ran up a tree and I had to coax her back; and I have a clean frock on, too, and Louise will be oh so disappointed!" Here she kissed the fluffy kitten on the nose.  "So he is a beast; don't you think so, Uncle Dick?" 

 "Such delay is highly reprehensible," I nodded. 

 "I'm glad you've come, Uncle Dick, and so is Auntie. She was hoping—" 

 "That will do, Dorothy!" Lisbeth interrupted. 

 "I wonder what she was hoping?" I sighed. 

 "If you say another word, Dorothy, I won't tell you any more about the Fairy Prince," said Lisbeth. 

 "Why, then," I continued, seeing the threat had the desired effect, "since Mr. Selwyn hasn't turned up, perhaps you would care to—" 

 "Be a pirate?" put in the Imp.  "To come for a row with us?" I corrected. 

 "Aboard the good ship Black Death," he went on, "'with the skull an' cross-bones at our peak." 

 "Thanks," said Lisbeth, "but really, I don't think I should. What a horrible name!" 

 "What's in a name? a boat by any other—" I misquoted.  "If you like, we'll call it the Joyful Hope, bound for the Land of Heart's Delight." 

 Lisbeth shook her head, but I fancied the dimple peeped at me for a moment. 

 "It would be a pity to disappoint Louise," I said, reaching up to stroke the fluffy kitten. 

 "Yes," cried Dorothy, "do let's go, Auntie." 

 "For the sake of Louise," I urged, and held out my arms to her. Lisbeth was standing on the top stair and I on the lower, in exactly the same 

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