hat are they about, dear?"

"Oh, his stories are beautiful. They are always about ships and the blue
sea and wonderful desert islands where he has been. What a wonderful man
he is, mamma, is not he?"

"Yes, dear, he talks very interestingly." Mrs. Goddard stroked Nellie's
brown curls and looked into the fire.

"He told me that once, ever so many years ago--he must be very old,
mamma--" Nellie paused and looked up inquiringly.

"Well, darling--not so very, very old. I think he is over forty."

"Over forty--four times eleven--he is not four times as old as I am.
Almost, though. All his stories are ever so many years ago. He said he
was sailing away ever so far, in a perfectly new ship, and the name of
the ship was--let me see, what was the name? I think it was--"

Mrs. Goddard started suddenly and laid her hand on the child's shoulder.

"Did you hear anything, Nellie?" she asked quickly. Nellie looked up in
some surprise.

"No, mamma. When? Just now? It must have been the wind. It is such a
horrid night. The name of the ship was the 'Zephyr'--I remember, now."
She looked up again to see if her mother was listening to the story. Mrs.
Goddard looked pale and glanced uneasily towards the closed window. She
had probably been mistaken.

"And where did the ship sail to, Nellie dear?" she asked, smoothing the
child's curls again and forcing herself to smile.

"Oh--the ship was a perfectly new ship and it was the most beautiful
weather in the world. They were sailing away ever so far, towards the
straits of Magellan. I was so glad because I knew where the straits of
Magellan were--and Mr. Juxon was immensely astonished. But I had been
learning about the Terra del Fuego, and the people who were frozen
there, in my geography that very morning--was not it lucky? So I knew all
about it--mamma, how nervous you are! It is nothing but the wind. I wish
you would listen to my story--"

"I am listening, darling," said Mrs. Goddard, making a strong effort to
overcome her agitation and drawing the child closer to her. "Go on,
sweetheart--you were in the straits of Magellan, you said, sailing
away--"

"Mr. Juxon was, mamma," said Nellie correcting her mother with the
asperity of a child who does not receive all the attention it expects.

"Of course, dear, Mr. Juxon, and the ship was the 'Zephyr.'"

"Yes--the 'Zephyr,'" repeated Nellie, who was easily pacified. "It was at
Christmas time he said--but that is summer in the southe