s a perfect
imitation of the old man's and sat so funnily upon his small person
that the wharf master chuckled and Dorothy laughed outright.

"Metty," as he was commonly called, disdained to see the mirth he
caused but climbed to his seat behind, folded his arms as well as he
could for his too big livery, and became as rigid as a statue--or as
all well-conducted footmen should be.

Then good-byes were exchanged, after the good old Maryland fashion
and the carriage rolled away.

As it vanished from view the man left behind sighed again and clenched
his fists, muttering:

"This horrible, uneven world! Why should one child have so much and my
Elsa--nothing! Elsa, my poor, unhappy child!"

Then he went about his duties and tried to forget Dorothy's beauty,
perfect health, and apparent wealth.

For some time neither Mrs. Calvert nor Dorothy spoke; then the girl
said:

"Aunt Betty, Jim Barlow could tend that engine. And he's out of a
place. Maybe----"

"Yes, dear, I've been thinking of him, too. Somehow none of our plans
seem quite perfect without good, faithful James sharing them."

"And that poor Mr. Blank----"

"A very dishonest scoundrel, my child, according to all accounts.
Don't waste pity on him."

"But his folks mayn't be scoundrels. He loved them, too, same as
we love or he wouldn't have built such a lovely Water Lily. Auntie,
that boat would hold a lot of people, wouldn't it?"

"I suppose so," answered the lady, absently.

"When we go house-boating may I invite anybody I choose to go with
us?"

"I haven't said yet that we would go!"

"But you've looked it and that's better."

Just then an automobile whizzed by and the horses pretended to be
afraid. Mrs. Calvert was frightened and leaned forward anxiously till
Ephraim had brought them down to quietness again. Then she settled
back against her cushions and became once more absorbed in her own
sombre thoughts. She scarcely heard and wholly failed to understand
Dorothy's repeated question:

"May I, dear Aunt Betty?"

She answered carelessly:

"Why, yes, child. You may do what you like with your own."

But that consent, so rashly given, was to bring some strange
adventures in its train.

CHAPTER II

INVITATIONS TO A CRUISE OF LOVING KINDNESS.

"Huh! Dolly's caught the Ford fashion of sending telegrams where a
letter would do!" exclaimed Jim Barlow, after he had opened the yellow
envelope which Griselda Roemer gave him when he came