thout any
ill-feeling."

The boy seemed grateful for our kindness, but he did not express it in
words; and while he and Fred were talking I rummaged my trunk, and found
a number of articles of clothing that were suitable for him, and in
which he stood in great need, his garments being somewhat the worse for
wear.

"Strip off your stockings and shirt, and put these on," I said, handing
him a new pair of socks, and a calico shirt too small for me, but which
I thought would answer his purpose.

Again did the tell-tale blood mount in the young fellow's face, and he
looked embarrassed and perplexed.

"I would rather not," he said, after a moment's pause, and I saw that he
was trembling violently.

"Nonsense--off with your shoes at once," and Fred stooped down to assist
him, and in spite of his resistance tore off his ragged stockings, and
was about to replace them with mine, when the boy began to cry again.

We looked at his grieved face, suffused with blushes, and then we looked
at the naked foot and ankle, and immediately arrived at our conclusions;
and, strange to say, they were of wonderful unanimity. We thought the
exposed limb was too white to belong to our own sex, and as our eyes met
we exclaimed,--

"The devil! A woman!"

"Who would have thought it?" cried Fred, with wonder depicted upon his
face.

"Don't cry," I said, addressing the girl in as mild a tone as I could
assume; but to my astonishment, the little thing only cried the harder.

"You are a smart man to talk to women," Fred exclaimed, pettishly. "That
voice of yours is enough to frighten a female into convulsions, and your
face is not very prepossessing as I suppose you are aware. This is the
way you should go to work."

To my surprise, the impudent puppy seated himself by the side of the
girl, took one of her unresisting hands in his own, and began to talk to
her in such a soothing manner that her tears were dried up, as if by
magic; and she actually smiled when he told her how comfortable she
could be in a little bedroom which, he promised to fit up for her
exclusive accommodation, and where no one would intrude upon her moments
of privacy.

"Jack," said Fred, suddenly jumping up and laying his hand on my arm,
"we must protect this poor girl to the best of our ability."

"I suppose that we must," I returned, with great philosophy.

"She is an innocent little thing," my friend added, in a musing tone.

"Is she?" I asked; "pray, how do y