course."

"The boys," cried the latter, "are willing to enlist as seamen, and
accompany the admiral on his cruise."

"You will spin yarns for us, Willis, will you not?"

"Well, my lads, if you want a sleeping dose, I will undertake to do
that."

"But there are objections to this arrangement," Mrs. Becker hastily
added.

"What are they, mother?"

"In the first place, a storm might arise some fine night--one of those
dreadful hurricanes that continue several days, like the one that
terrified us so much lately--and then all communication would be cut
off between us."

"You could always see one another."

"How so, Willis?"

"From a distance--with the telescope."

"Then," continued Mrs. Becker, "you would be a prey to famine, for
though the telescope, good Master Willis, might enable you to see our
dinner--from a distance--I doubt whether that would prevent you dying
of starvation."

"We might easily guard against that, by taking over a sufficient
quantity of provisions with us every night, and bringing them back
next morning."

"But could you carry over my kisses, Willis, and distribute them
amongst my children every morning and evening, like rations of rice?"

"If the arrangement will really make you uneasy, Mrs. Becker, I give
it up," said Willis, polishing with his arm the surface of his
oil-skin sou'-wester.

"Not at all, Willis. It is for me to give up my objections. Besides, I
observe Miss Sophia staring at me with her great eyes; she will never
forgive me for tormenting her sweetheart."

"Ah! since I have been staring at you, I have only now to eat you up
like the wolf in Little Red Ridinghood," and in a moment her slender
arms were clasped round Mrs. Becker's neck.

"Good," said Becker, "there is another point settled--temporarily."

"In Europe," observed Wolston, "there is nothing so durable as the
temporary."

"In Europe, yes, but not here. To-morrow morning we shall select a
tree near Falcon's Nest, and in eight days you shall be permanently
housed in an aerial tenement close to ours, so that we may chat to
each other from our respective balconies."

"That will be a castle in the air a little more real than those I have
built in Spain."

"Then you have been in Spain, papa?"

"Every one has been less or more in the Spain I refer to. Sophy--it is
the land of dreams."

"And of castanets," remarked Jack.

"Then my sweetheart will be alone on his island, like an exile?"

"No, Miss So