ited like funds in a bank, and while the
commodore, the captain, and Hugh, the pilots, the mate, the Gilmores,
the judge, general, bishop, squire, senator, Otto Marburg in his green
coat, and dozens and scores of others were all over the boat, each more
and more a story, a study, as hourly she grew older.

On the bench close behind her in the pilot-house a lady with needlework,
a gentleman with _De Bow's Review_ (the squire's sister and
brother-in-law), had begun to talk with the Gilmores and presently
mentioned the twins, speaking in such a tone of doom as to give Ramsey a
sudden panic.

"It's fine!" said the husband, praising Julian's devotion to his
stricken brother. "And they are fine. Their faults--which you've had
occasion to discover, sir--are spots on the sun; the faults, madam, of
all our young Southern gentlemen----"

"Would you say of all?" asked the actor's wife.

"No!" said the other lady, "no, not of all!" and her husband was glad to
stand corrected.

"No," he admitted, "but still of almost all; faults of which we may
almost say, sir, that we may almost be proud!"

"Oh, well," begged his wife, "please almost don't say it! They're the
faults of our 'peculiar institution' and I wish our 'peculiar
institution' were--" She sewed hard.

"In the deep bosom of the ocean buried," suggested her husband to the
players. "Why, honestly, so do I. But it's not, and can't be, and as
long as it can't be we----"

"Oh, well," said his wife, "don't let's begin on that."

Reckless of institutions Ramsey turned. "Is my brother worse?" she broke
in, but a white-jacket entered with the dinner-bell and spoke softly to
old Joy. "Yes," said Ramsey to him, "I'm Miss Hayle. What is it? Is my
brother worse?"

"Miss Hayle, Mr. Hugh Co'teney make his comp'ments----"

Ramsey laughed in relief.

"Yass'm, an' say' cap'm cayn' come to de table an' yo' ma she cayn't
come----"

"I know she can't. Is my brother----?"

"And de commodo' he at de gemp'men's table, an' so he, Mr. Hugh, he
'p'inted to de ladies' table, an' will you please fo' to set in de place
o' yo' ma?"

"Oh, rid-ic-ulous! Who? me? I?" The laugh grew plaintive.

"Yes, you; why not?" said the pilot at the wheel, with his eyes fixed
far up the river.

But Ramsey glanced at her short skirts and laughed to all by turns: "Oh,
it's just some ridiculous mistake!"

"No, miss, 'tain't no mistake. All de yetheh ladies incline de place."
Every one laughed. "Oh, he