m observation.

"Well, Captain Boomsby, I must say good-bye to you again," I
interposed, not caring to wait for the father and son to settle the
question between them.

I offered my hand and he took it; but I don't think he was inclined to
weep at my departure. I thought that Nick looked at me with more than
usual interest, and when I took him by the hand to say good-bye to him,
he pressed my hand warmly. Before, when I had met him, he was hardly
disposed to speak to me at all. He and his mother kept the old sores
open.

"I have never been on board of your steamer yet, Captain Alick," said
he, with a sort of ghastly grin, which I could not understand. "I
wanted to get out this afternoon to make a visit to her."

"She can be seen by everybody who chooses to visit her, and I shall be
glad to see you on board of her," I replied. "All hands are on shore
now, except Cobbington, who is acting as ship-keeper. He will show you
all over the Sylvania, if I am not on board."

"Where are you going from here in her?" asked Nick.

"We shall run down the coast of Florida, then across the Gulf of
Mexico, and then up the Mississippi," I replied.

"I wish I was going with you," added Nick.

I did not wish he was going with me, and so I said nothing. I had taken
leave of the captain and his son, and was about to depart when Mrs.
Boomsby came into the saloon from the front entry.

"You here, Sandy," said she, bestowing a look of disgust upon me.

"I leave early to-morrow morning, and I dropped in to say good-bye. I
will say the same to you, Mrs. Boomsby," I added, moving towards the
door.

"You needn't trouble yourself to say good-bye to me, for sakes knows I
don't keer whether I ever see you again or not," replied the amiable
lady, with a frown on her countenance which was enough to prevent me
from saying anything more. I bowed and moved towards the door.

"I s'pose you think you are mighty grand, sailin' about in a steam
yacht; but you'll come to a bad end yet," continued Mrs. Boomsby.

That was just what her husband had said to me, and I concluded they had
talked the matter over again. I did not wait to hear any more. I
entered the saloon on a friendly mission; I had forgiven my worst
enemies,--I could conceive of none worse than the Boomsbys,--and I was
not willing to have any words with the most virulent one of the family.
I walked out of the saloon. I heard some further uncomplimentary
allusions to myself as I closed