e that you fix on she shall have. Only, please choose one
that only two or three boats, and those not about the same size,
have got. It leads to confusion if there are two craft going about
of the same name and of about the same size. But I warn you, that
it will involve your having to go down to Poole to christen her."

"Do they christen yachts, Major Mallett?"

"I really don't know anything about it," he replied; "but if it is
right and proper for ships it must be for yachts; and I should
regard the ceremony as being likely to bring good luck to her. When
the time comes, I will fix the day to suit your arrangements."

"I will try to come down, Major Mallett, if mamma will agree; but
it is a long way to Poole, and somehow one never seems to find an
hour to do anything; so I really cannot promise."

"Well, if you cannot manage it, Miss Greendale, I will have her
launched without being named and bring her round to Southampton,
and then you could go down and christen her there. That would only
be a short railway run of a couple of hours after breakfast, and,
say, two hours for luncheon there, and to have a look at her, and
you could be home by four o'clock in the afternoon."

"That seems more practicable."

Captain Mallett had been three weeks in town. He had called upon
Lady Greendale on the day after he had come up, and been received
with the greatest cordiality by her and Bertha. The latter, in the
two years and a half that he had been away, had grown from a
somewhat gawky girl, whose charm lay solely in her expressive eyes
and pleasant smile, into a very pretty woman. She was slightly over
middle height, and carried herself exceptionally well. Her face was
a bright and sunny one, but her eyes were unchanged, and there was
an earnestness in their expression which, with a certain resolute
curve in the lips, gave character to the laughing brightness of her
face. Society had received her warmly, and consequently she was
pleased with society. Both for her own sake and as an heiress she
was made a deal of, and, though she had been but two months in
town, she had already taken her place as one of the recognised
belles of the season.

Lady Greendale had a dinner party on the day when Major Mallett
called, and was discussing with Bertha whom they could invite to
fill up at such short notice a vacancy which had occurred.

"You come at the right moment, Frank," she said, after they had
chatted for some time. "We were l