ly to his side and said, solemnly:

"Uncle, Herbert has been at sea three years; he knows nothing of my past
misery and destitution, nor of my ever wearing boy's clothes. Uncle,
please don't tell him, especially of the boy's clothes." And in the
earnestness of her appeal Capitola clasped her hands and raised her eyes
to the old man's face. How soft those gray eyes looked when praying! But
for all that, the very spirit of mischief still lurked about the corners
of the plump, arched lips.

"Of course I shall tell no one! I am not so proud of your masquerading
as to publish it. And as for this young fellow, I shall probably never
see him!" exclaimed Old Hurricane.

CHAPTER VIII.

HERBERT GREYSON.

A kind, true heart, a spirit high,
That cannot fear and will not bow,
Is flashing in his manly eye
And stamped upon his brow.
--Halleck.

In a few minutes Capitola came bounding up the stairs again, exclaiming
joyously:

"Here he is, uncle! Here is Herbert Greyson! Come along, Herbert; you
must come in and see my new uncle!" And she broke into the room,
dragging before her astonished guardian a handsome, dark-eyed young
sailor, who bowed and then stood blushing at his enforced intrusion.

"I beg your pardon, sir," he said, "for bursting in upon you in this
way; but----"

"I dragged him here willy-nilly," said Capitola.

"Still, if I had had time to think I should not have intruded."

"Oh, say no more, sir. You are heartily welcome," exclaimed the old man,
thrusting out his rugged hand and seizing the bronzed one of the youth.
"Sit down, sir, sit down. Good Lord, how like!" he added, mentally.

Then, seeing the young sailor still standing, blushing and hesitating,
he struck his cane upon the floor and roared out:

"Demmy, sit down, sir! When Ira Warfield says sit down, he means sit
down!"

"Ira Warfield!" exclaimed the young man, starting back in
astonishment--one might almost say in consternation.

"Ay, sir; Ira Warfield! That's my name. Never heard any ill of it, did
you?"

The young man did not answer, but continued gazing in amazement upon the
speaker.

"Nor any good of it either, perhaps--eh, uncle?" archly put in Capitola.

"Silence, you monkey! Well, young man, well, what is the meaning of all
this?" exclaimed old Hurricane, impatiently.

"Oh, your pardon, sir; this was sudden. But you must know I had once a
relative of that name--