sailor-boy, who was,
perhaps, tossing in some awful night-storm, or lying on the lonely deck,
in the midst of the wide Atlantic. And she thought, that when her time
came to love and be loved, she would not take everything quite so easily
as Sara.

"How pleasant quadrilles must be!" said Olive, as she sat with her
favourite Lyle, watching the dancers. Lyle had crept to her, sliding his
hand in hers, and looking up to her with a most adoring gaze, as indeed
he often did. He had even communicated his intention of marrying her
when he grew a man--a determination which greatly excited the ridicule
of his elder brother.

"I like far better to sit here quietly with you," murmured the faithful
little cavalier.

"Thank you, Lyle; still, they all look so merry, I almost wish some one
had asked me to dance."

"You dance, Miss Rothesay! What fun! Why nobody would ever dance with
you," cried rude Bob.

Lyle looked imploringly at his brother: "Hush! you naughty boy! Please,
Miss Rothesay, I will dance with you at any time, that is, if you think
I am tall enough."

"Oh, quite; I am so small myself," answered Olive, laughing; for
she took quite a pride in patronising him, as girls of sixteen often
affectionately patronise boys some five or six years their junior. "You
know, you are to grow up to be my little husband."

"Your husband!" repeated Bob, mischievously. "Don't be too sure of
getting one at all. What do you think I overheard those girls there say?
That you looked just like an old maid; and, indeed, no one would ever
care to marry you, because you were"--

Here Lyle, blushing crimson, stopped his brother's mouth with his little
hand; whereat Bob flew into such a passion, that he quite forgot Olive,
and all he was about to say, in the excitement of a pugilistic
combat with his unlucky _cadet_ In the midst of which the two
belligerents--poor, untaught, motherless lads--were hurried off to bed.

Their companionship lost, Olive was left very much to her own devices
for amusement. Some few young people that she knew came and talked
to her for a little while, but they all went back to their singing,
dancing, or flirting; and Olive, who seemed to have no gift nor share
in either, was left alone. She did not feel this much at first, being
occupied in her thoughts and observations on the rest. She took great
interest in noticing all around. Her warm heart throbbed in sympathy
with many an idle, passing flirtation, which she