ir said, kindly. "He has such an unhappy disposition."

"And the little girl?" Mr. Murray said. "How is she provided for? She is
Frank Rivers' child, I think you said?"

"Yes; and she's the worst off of them all. Being a girl, and so
delicate, I really do not see what's to become of her if anything should
happen to us. It's a great pity she is not stronger," Mr. Clair
remarked; "she has a wonderful talent for drawing, and is the most
patient, painstaking, intelligent pupil I ever met. If Eddie had only
half her diligence, he would get on much better."

Then he heard of the peculiarly solitary life Bertie led at Kensington,
and listened in wonder, while Mr. Clair said Eddie was never asked to
his uncle's, had never seen his cousins, and that he did not even know
the Gregorys were in Brighton.

"You see, we are very different sort of people, Mr. Murray: our tastes,
habits, and manner of life are so widely apart, that it is perhaps all
for the best that we should not meet frequently. Still, he is Eddie's
uncle: the boys are his first cousins; it seems a little odd that they
should be complete strangers."

"Odd! why, it's very strange. I can't comprehend it!" Mr. Murray cried,
looking quite fierce. "I must make them better acquainted. Ah! I've hit
on the very thing. I'm going to take the Gregory boys for a trip in my
yacht along the south coast; the Rivers lads shall come too. You must
all come: there's nothing to make people acquainted and set them at
their ease like a few days at sea in a small craft. Promise me you will
join us. We start on Monday morning, and will land you anywhere, and at
any time you like. A week's cruise would do you all good."

"I'm afraid you must excuse us, Mr. Murray. We should not be a very
welcome addition to your party," Uncle Clair said, coldly. "I have no
desire to force my acquaintance on Mr. Gregory."

"He's not coming with us, in the first place, and even if he were, I
suppose I am at liberty to choose what guests I please to accompany me
on my trip?" Mr. Murray cried, almost fiercely; "but"--turning to Mrs.
Clair--"we need not discuss that point: it's the children we were
talking about. It would be a first-rate opportunity for both lads to
make friends with their cousins."

"Yes," Aunt Amy answered, thoughtfully. "They have so few friends in the
world, poor children, that it would be a sad pity to miss a chance of
increasing them. I feel half inclined to accept your kind invitati