t been warned against him.

Vi, however, had seen him with Virginia and knew from what passed directly
afterward between her grandfather and aunt (though she did not hear the
conversation) that the stranger was not one whom Mr. Dinsmore approved.

Not many minutes had passed before she looked back, and seeing that she
had left her brothers some distance behind, hastily began to retrace her
footsteps, Rosie with her.

The instant they turned to do so, the captain, addressing Harold, artfully
inquired, "Do you know that young lady?"

"I should think so! she's my own sister," said the boy proudly. "The
little one too."

"Pretty girls, both of them. Won't you introduce me?"

"Yes, I suppose so," returned the boy a little doubtfully, and taking a
more critical survey of his new acquaintance than he had thought necessary
before; "you--you're a gentleman and a good man, aren't you?"

"Don't I look like it?" laughed the captain. "Would you take me for a
rogue?"

"I--I don't believe you'd be a burglar or a thief, but----"

"Well?"

"Please don't think I mean to be rude, sir, but you broke the third
commandment a minute ago."

"The third? which is that? for I really don't remember."

"I thought you'd forgotten it," said Herbert.

"It's the one that says, 'Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God
in vain,'" answered Harold, in low reverent tones.

"I own to being completely puzzled," said the captain. "I certainly
haven't been swearing."

"No, not exactly; but you said, 'By George,' and 'By Heaven,' and mamma
says such words are contrary to the spirit of the command, and that no one
who is a thorough gentleman and Christian will ever use them."

"That's a very strict rule," he said, lifting his cap and bowing low to
Violet, who was now close at hand.

She did not seem to notice it, or to see him at all.

"Boys," she said with gentle gravity, "let us go home now."

"What for, Vi? I'm not tired of the beach yet," objected Herbert.

"I have something to tell you; something else to propose. Won't you go
with me?"

"Yes," and with a hasty "good-bye," to the captain, they joined their
sisters, who were already moving slowly toward home.

"What have you to tell us, Vi?" asked Harold.

"That I know grandpa does not approve of that man, and I am quite sure
mamma would not wish you to be with him. The sun is getting hot and there
are Dick and Molly on the veranda; let's go and talk with them for a
while.