e poor lad after so many years and
so many changes," replied Victor.

"I wonder if that poor lad ever thinks of _me_, 'after so many years and
so many changes?'" murmured Electra, musingly.

"I don't know. Tell me his name, and then perhaps I can answer your
question. I have roamed around the world a good deal and seen a great
many different sorts of people. Who knows but I may have met your poor
lad? Let us have his name," said Victor, gravely.

They were both, to use a household phrase, "beating about the bush."

"Oh, he was too poor to own a name! But he was cook's boy on board a
merchantman, and they called him 'Galley Vick.' I never knew him by any
other name. Did you ever see him at all?"

"Oh, yes, I've seen him! A good-for-nothing little vagabond he was! No,
I don't suppose he ever dares to think about such a fine young lady as
you are. But he cherishes the memory of a poor little girl he once knew
in Rat Alley, New York. And only the day before yesterday, when I
happened to be with him, he was saying how much he would give to know
what had become of that poor little girl."

"Yes, it was very nice of him to remember her," said Electra, musingly.

"You say that you knew the poor lad in New York. Perhaps, as they were
so much together, you may have known the poor little girl also?" said
Victor.

"I can not tell you unless you give me her name. There were so many
poor little girls in New York," answered Electra, shaking her head.

"_She_, like the boy, was too poor then to own a name. They called her
'Sal's Kid.' I never knew her by any other name," answered Victor.

And then their eyes met, and both laughed and impulsively put out their
hands, which were then clasped together.

"I knew you at the very first sight, Vick," said Electra, giving full
way to her feelings of pleasure in meeting her old playmate again.

"And so did I you. Heaven bless you, child! I am so happy and thankful
to find you here, so healthy and prosperous. You were a sickly, poor
little thing when I knew you," said Victor, with much emotion.

"I was a famished poor little thing, you mean, food has made all the
difference, Victor," laughed Electra.

"My name is Joseph Brent, my dear," said Hartman, who almost trembled to
hear the old name spoken.

"Ah, but Sal's Kid knew you only as Galley Vick. I thought Vick was the
short for Victor. But it seems you really had a name all the time as
well as I had, though neither of us suspec