It's nearly time now for our drive."

"Miss Wi'let," said Ben, coming up behind, "dat fellah's mighty pow'ful
mad; swored a big oath dat you's proud as Luficer."

"Oh, then we won't have anything more to do with him!" exclaimed the boys,
Herbert adding, "but I do wish he was good, for he does tell such famous
stories."

They kept their word and were so shy of the captain that he soon gave up
trying to cultivate their acquaintance, or to make that of their sisters.

Mrs. Noyes and he were boarding at the same hotel, and from her he learned
that Mrs. Delaford and the Conlys were expected shortly, having engaged
rooms on the same floor with herself.

The information was agreeable, as, though he did not care particularly for
Virginia, flirting with her would, he thought, be rather an enjoyable way
of passing the time; all the more so that it would be in opposition to Mr.
Dinsmore's wishes; for the captain knew very well why, and at whose
suggestion, Virginia had been summoned away from his society on board the
vessel, and had no love for the man who so highly disapproved of him.

The girl, too, resented her uncle's interference, and on her arrival, with
the perversity of human nature, went farther in her encouragement of the
young man's attentions than she, perhaps, would otherwise have done.

Her mother and aunt looked on with indifference, if not absolute approval.

Isadore was the only one who offered a remonstrance, and she was cut short
with a polite request to "mind her own business."

"I think I am, Virgy," she answered pleasantly, "I'm afraid you're getting
yourself into trouble; and surely I ought to try to save you from that."

"I won't submit to surveillance," returned her sister. "I wouldn't live in
the same house with Uncle Horace for anything. And if mamma and Aunt
Delaford don't find fault, you needn't."

Isadore, seriously concerned for Virginia's welfare, was questioning in
her own mind whether she ought to mention the matter to her uncle, when
her mother set that doubt at rest by forbidding her to do so.

Isa, who was trying to be a consistent Christian, would neither flirt nor
dance, and the foolish, worldly-minded mother was more vexed at her
behavior than at Virginia's.

Isa slipped away to the cottage homes of the Dinsmores and Travillas
whenever she could. She enjoyed the quiet pleasures and the refined and
intellectual society of her relatives and the privileged friends, both
ladies and