tch are sacking the city," said Vance. "Didn't they tell you?"

"The Dutch--hell!" said Mr, Brent, calmly. "Who's afraid of the Dutch?"

A general titter went along the guards, and Virginia blushed. Why could
not the Captain see her?

"I'm on my reg'lar trip, of course," said Vance. Out there on the sunlit
river the situation seemed to call for an apology.

"Seems to be a little more loaded than common," remarked Captain Lige,
dryly, at which there was another general laugh.

"If you're really goin' up," said Captain Vance, I reckon there's a few
here would like to be massacred, if you'll take 'em."

"Certainly," answered Mr. Brent; "I'm bound for the barbecue." And he
gave a command.

While the two great boats were manoeuvring, and slashing with one wheel
and the other, the gongs sounding, Virginia ran into the cabin.

"Oh, Aunt Lillian," she exclaimed, "here is Captain Lige and the Juanita,
and he is going to take us back with him. He says there is no danger."

It its unnecessary here to repeat the moral persuasion which Virginia
used to get her aunt up and dressed. That lady, when she had heard the
whistle and the gongs, had let her imagination loose. Turning her face to
the wall, she was in the act of repeating her prayers as her niece
entered.

A big stevedore carried her down two decks to where the gang-plank was
thrown across. Captain Lige himself was at the other end. His face
lighted, Pushing the people aside, he rushed across, snatched the lady
from the negro's arms, crying:

"Jinny! Jinny Carvel! Well, if this ain't fortunate." The stevedore's
services were required for Mammy Easter. And behind the burly shield thus
formed, a stoutish gentleman slipped over, all unnoticed, with a
carpet-bag in his hand It bore the initials E. H.

The plank was drawn in. The great wheels began to turn and hiss, the
Barbara's passengers waved good-by to the foolhardy lunatics who had
elected to go back into the jaws of destruction. Mrs. Colfax was put into
a cabin; and Virginia, in a glow, climbed with Captain Lige to the
hurricane deck. There they stood for a while in silence, watching the
broad stern of the Barbara growing smaller. "Just to think," Miss Carvel
remarked, with a little hysterical sigh, "just to think that some of
those people brought bronze clocks instead of tooth-brushes."

"And what did you bring, my girl?" asked the Captain, glancing at the
parcel she held so tightly under her arm.

He never