ficer, in all the glories of the staff uniform, was a very
grand figure in her eyes.

"How do you do, Cousin Jack?" she said, coming forward, with a bright
color and outstretched hand.

"How are you, Cousin Alice?" Jack said, mimicking her tone; "why, you
little goose," he exclaimed, catching her in his arms and kissing her,
"you don't suppose I am going to be satisfied with shaking your hand
after being nearly three years away."

"Oh, but you are so big, Jack, and so grand, it seems different
altogether."

"You are bigger than you were, Alice, but it does not seem in the least
different to me."

"Well, I thought you would be quite changed, Jack, and quite different,
now you are a captain, and famous, and all that, and you have seen so
many grand ladies in all the countries you have traveled that--that--"
And she hesitated.

"Well, go on," Jack said gravely.

"Well, then, that you would have forgotten all about me."

"Then you are a very bad little girl, Alice, and not half so good as I
thought you were, for you must have a very bad opinion of me, indeed, if
you thought all that of me."

"I don't think I quite thought so, Jack. Well, I told myself it was only
natural it should be so."

"We will argue that out presently," Jack said; "and now, where is Mr.
Anthony?"

"I will call him, Jack," Mrs. Anthony said. "You have no ill feeling, I
hope, toward him, for you know he really has been very sorry about the
part he took in getting you away, and has blamed himself over and over
again."

"I never have had," Jack said; "it has been the best thing that ever
happened to me. If I had had my own way I should still be working before
the mast instead of being a captain in the army."

Mr. Anthony was soon called in from the store. At first he was a little
awkward and shy, but Jack's heartiness soon put him at his ease.

Jack stayed a fortnight at Southampton, and then, on the receipt of
a letter from the Earl of Peterborough, went up to town, where he was
presented to the queen and afterward to the minister of war by the earl.

A week later he and Graham sailed for the Netherlands and joined the
army of the Duke of Marlborough, and served under that great commander
until, three years later, the war was brought to a conclusion. They were
attached to the staff of one of the generals of division.

The duke kept his promise to the Earl of Peterborough, and kept his eye
on the young officers. Both distinguished them