ict watch over both.

The captain, forsaken by Virginia, sauntered about the deck and presently
approaching an elderly lady who sat somewhat apart from the rest, lifted
his cap with a smiling "How do you do, Mrs. Noyes?" and taking an empty
chair by her side entered into a desultory conversation.

"By the by," he said, "what an attractive family group is that over
yonder," with a slight motion of the head in the direction of the
Travillas. "The mother is my beau-ideal of a lovely matron, in appearance
at least--I have not the happiness of her acquaintance--and the daughters
are models of beauty and grace. They are from your neighborhood, I
believe?"

"Yes; I have a calling acquaintance with Mrs. Travilla. She was a great
heiress; has peculiar notions, rather puritanical; but is extremely
agreeable for all that."

"Could you give me an introduction?"

She shook her head. "I must beg you to excuse me."

"But why?"

"Ah, captain, do you not know that you have the reputation of being a
naughty man? not very; but then, as I have told you, the mother is very
strict and puritanical in her ideas; the father is the same, and I should
only offend them without doing you any good; the girls would not dare, or
even so much as wish to look at or speak to you."

Growing red and angry, the captain stammered out something about being no
worse than ninetenths of the rest of the world.

"Very true, no doubt," she said; "and please understand that you are not
tabooed by me. I'm not so strict. But perhaps," she added laughing, "it
may be because I've no daughters to be endangered by young fellows who are
as handsome and fascinating as they are naughty." He bowed his
acknowledgments, then, as a noble looking young man was seen to approach
the group with the manner of one on a familiar footing inquired, "Who is
that fellow that seems so much at home with them?"

"His name is Leland; Lester Leland. He's a nephew of the Leland who bought
Fairview from the Fosters some years ago. He's an artist and poor--the
nephew--he had to work his own way in the world; has to yet for that
matter. I should wonder at the notice the Travillas take of him, only that
I've heard he's one of the good sort. Then besides you know he may make a
great reputation some day."

"A pious fortune-hunter, I presume," sneered Brice, rising to give his
seat to a lady; then with a bow he turned and walked away.

Mr. Dinsmore was taking his grandsons over the vessel