part of the State, around
it, past Cape Sable and out into the Gulf of Mexico. Then, having
accepted an invitation from Grandma Elsie to visit Viamede, they
sailed on in a westerly direction.

They had pleasant weather during their sojourn in and about Florida,
but as they entered the Gulf a rain storm came up and continued until
they neared the port of New Orleans. That confined the women and
children pretty closely to the cabin and active little Ned grew very
weary of it.

"I wish I could go on deck," he sighed on the afternoon of the second
day. "I'm so tired of staying down here where there's nothing to see."

As he concluded a voice that sounded like that of a boy about his own
age, and seemed to come from the stairway to the deck, said, "I'm
sorry for that little chap. Suppose I come down there and try to get
up a bit of fun for him."

"By all means," replied the captain. "We will be happy to have you do
so."

Ned straightened himself up and looked eagerly in the direction of the
stairway.

"Who is it, papa?" he asked.

"Why, don't you know me?" asked the voice, this time seeming to come
from the door of one of the staterooms.

"No, I don't," returned Ned. "I didn't know there was any boy on
board, except myself."

"Nor did I," said a rough man's voice, "What are you doing here, you
young rascal? came aboard to steal, did you?"

"Nothing but my passage, sir; and I'm not doing a bit of harm,"
replied the boyish voice.

"Oh, I guess I know who you are," laughed Ned. "At least I'm pretty
sure you're either Cousin Ronald or brother Max."

At that a loud guffaw right at his ear made the little boy jump with
an outcry, "Oh, who was that?"

"Why don't you look and see?" laughed Lucilla.

"Why, it doesn't seem to have been anybody," returned Ned, looking
around this way and that. "But I'm not going to be frightened, for I
just know it's one or the other of our ventriloquists. Now, good sirs,
please let's have some more of it, for it's real fun."

"Not much, I should think, after you are in the secret," said Max.

"It's some, though," said Ned, "because it seems so real even when you
do know--or guess--who it is that's doing it."

"Well, now, I'm glad you are so easily pleased and entertained, little
fellow," said the voice from the state-room door. "Perhaps now the
captain will let me pay my fare on the yacht by providing fun for his
little son. That oldest one doesn't seem to need any; he gets enou