s
ready to turn a somersault, or to run up the mast, or to make a bow to
the ladies (always with Franci in their hearts), as the Skipper directed
them.

Of course John was there at every available minute, whenever he could
escape the searching of his guardian's eye and tongue; but Mr. Scraper
himself came several times to the "Nautilus;" so did pretty Lena Brown.
There was no doubt that Lena was a charming girl. She looked like
moonlight, Rento thought; John thought so, too, though he knew that the
resemblance went no further than looks. Her hair was soft and light,
with a silvery glint when the sun struck it, and it had a pretty trick
of falling down about her forehead in two Madonna-like bands, framing
the soft, rose-tinted cheeks sweetly enough, and hiding with the pale
shining tresses the narrowness of the white forehead.

Lena was apt to come with John, to whom she was always kind, though she
thought him "cracked," and after a little desultory hovering about the
shells, for which she did not really care, except when they were made up
with glass beads, she was apt to sit down on the after-deck, with John
beside her (unless the Skipper appeared, in which case the boy flew to
join his new friend), and with Franci, or Rento, or both, sure to be
near by. The monkeys never failed to come and nestle down beside the
boy, and examine his pockets and chatter confidentially in his ear; and
John always nodded and seemed to understand, which Lena considered
foolishness. She thought she came out of pure kindness for the boy,
because "that old gimlet never would let him come alone, and the child
was fairly possessed about the shells;" but it is to be doubted whether
she would have come so often if it had not been for Franci's admiring
glances and Rento's deeper veneration, which seldom dared to look higher
than the hem of her gown.

She would sit very demurely on the after-deck, apparently absorbed in
the shells and corals that lay spread before her; and by-and-by, it
might be, Franci, who did not suffer from shyness, would venture on
something more definite than admiring glances.

He would show her the shells, making the most of his knowledge, which
was not extensive, and calling in invention when information failed; but
he liked better to talk of himself, Franci, and on that subject there
was plenty to be said. He was a prince, he told Lena, in South America,
where he came from. This was a poor country, miserable country; b