of
description. She was a smart little thing, and she believed that Corny
was the queen of girls.

While I am speaking of the "Tigris" and our losses, I will just say that
the second boat which left the burning steamer was never heard from.

We reached our hotel about noon, pretty tired, for we had been rushing
things, as it was necessary for father to go home early the next day. On
the front steps we found Uncle Chipperton, who had been waiting for us.
He particularly wanted to see me. He lunched with us, and then he took
me off to the place where he was to have his dinner, at six o'clock that
evening. He wanted to consult with me about the arrangements of the
table; where each person should sit, and all that sort of thing. I
couldn't see the use in this, because it was only a kind of family
party, and we should all be sure to get seated, if there were chairs and
places enough. But Uncle Chipperton wanted to plan and arrange
everything until he was sure it was just right. That was his way.

After he had settled these important matters, and the head-waiter and
the proprietor had become convinced that I was a person of much
consequence, who had to be carefully consulted before anything could be
done, we went down stairs, and at the street-door Uncle Chipperton
suddenly stopped me.

"See here," said he, "I want to tell you something. I'm not coming to
this dinner."

"Not--coming!" I exclaimed, in amazement.

"No," said he, "I've been thinking it over, and have fully made up my
mind about it. You see, this is intended as a friendly reunion,--an
occasion of good feeling and fellowship among people who are bound
together in a very peculiar manner."

"Yes," I interrupted, "and that seems to me, sir, the very reason why
you should be there."

"The very reason why I should not be there," he said. "You see, I
couldn't sit down with that most perverse and obstinate man, Colbert,
and feel sure that something or other would not occur which would make
an outbreak between us, or, at any rate, bad feeling. In fact, I know I
could not take pleasure in seeing him enjoy food. This may be wrong, but
I can't help it. It's in me. And I wont be the means of casting a shadow
over the happy company which will meet here to-night. No one but your
folks need know I'm not coming. The rest will not know why I am
detained, and I shall drop in toward the close of the meal, just before
you break up. I want you to ask your father to take the