to tame
Texas, and then I shall have him to perch on my wrist like a falcon.
And, just now, I don't know that I care to be hampered by any sort of a
baby," laughing mischievously, for Faith looked quite motherly, with
the kitten wrapped in a fold of her cape.

They had come above to see the lighthouse and Hurst Castle, at the
opening into the Channel, which seemed to be held out from the mainland
by a long, thin arm of soil. The Channel here narrows to about a mile
in width, and these objects loom up conspicuously to the starboard of
the outbound steamer. As they stood watching from the hurricane deck,
to which they had ascended, and admiring not only the bright scene
before them, but also the splendor and cleanliness of their father's
ship, a boyish voice was heard to exclaim,

"Well, I've explored as far as they'll let me, and I say she's a dandy!
I believe she'll compare pretty well with the P. & O. liners, after
all, don't you, Bess?" And up through the companionway came a head in
a yachting-cap, followed by a slender boy in gray, with a frank, but
homely visage.

He gave the girls a keen glance, which they more modestly returned, and
they privately decided, after a second look, that his eyes were fine
and his smile a pleasant one, if he was slightly snub-nosed and
freckled.

Just behind him came the "Bess" of his question, a rather delicate
young lady in appearance, possibly in her early twenties, the boy being
at least four years younger. She was not pretty, but as her eyes
lighted upon the sisters, she too smiled so pleasantly, they were at
once drawn to her, and returned the wordless greeting with more than
civility. Then Hope broke out, impulsively,

"We are watching the lighthouse. Doesn't it loom up well? Almost as
if we were going to run into it."

"True enough," returned "Bess," as both drew nearer, and the boy added,
to Faith,

"You've got an Angora, haven't you? We left one at home, didn't we,
Bess? He's a splendid fellow, Chimmie Fadden is!"

"Chimmie Fadden? What a funny name!" laughed the twins in chorus.

"It's out of a story," he explained, "a Van Bibber story, and really
means Jimmy, you know, but that's the way the boy pronounced it
himself. He acts timid," this in reference to Hafiz, who burrowed
under Faith's arm, resenting his advances.

"Yes, he doesn't like it on board, at all. It's all too strange, yet.
Father gave him to me just before we started, and he hasn't beco