n of the politest society of the largest and most important
city of the colonies. Offering his services as soon as the news of
Lexington precipitated the conflict with the mother country, he had
already made his name known among that gallant band of seamen among
whom Jones, Biddle, Dale, and Conyngham were pre-eminent.

The delicious silence which he had been unwilling to break, since it
permitted him to gaze undisturbed upon his fair shipmate, was
terminated at last by that lady herself.

She looked up from the water with which she had been playing, and then
appearing to notice for the first time his steady ardent gaze, she
laughed lightly and said,--

"Well, sir, it grows late. When you have finished contemplating the
scenery, perhaps you will turn the boat, and take me home; then you can
feast your eyes upon something more attractive."

"And what is that, pray?" he asked.

"Your supper, sir. You must be very anxious for it by this time, and
really you know you look quite hungry. We have been out so long; but I
will have pity on you, and detain you no longer here. Turn the boat
around, Lieutenant Seymour, and put me on shore at once. I will stand
between no man and his dinner."

"Hungry? Yes, I am, but not for dinner,--for you, Mistress Katharine,"
he replied.

"Oh, what a horrid appetite! I don't feel safe in the boat with you.
Are you very hungry?"

"Really, Miss Wilton, I am not jesting at all," he said with immense
dignity.

"Oh! oh! He is in earnest. Shall I scream? No use; we are a mile
from the house, at least."

"Oh, Miss Wilton--Katharine," he replied desperately, "I am devoured by
my--"

"Lieutenant Seymour!" She drew herself up with great hauteur, letting
the cloak drop about her waist.

"Madam!"

"Only my friends call me Katharine."

"And am I not, may I not be, one of your friends?"

"Well, yes--I suppose so; but you are so young."

"I am just twenty-seven, madam, and you, I suppose, are--"

"Never be ungallant enough to suppose a young lady's age. You may do
those things in Philadelphia, if you like, but 't is not the custom
here. Besides, I mean too young a friend; you have not known me long
enough, that is."

"Long enough! I have known you ever since Tuesday of last week."

"And this is Friday,--just ten days, ten long days!" she replied
triumphantly.

"Long days!" he cried. "Very short ones, for me."

"Long or short, sir, do you think you can know me in tha