ng her hand in his as he spoke, for she was close at
his side, as she was pretty sure to be whenever she could manage it.

"I am truly sorry if I hurt those nerves, Lu," said the old gentleman
kindly. "I meant but to afford amusement, and shall be more careful in
the future."

"Do some more, Cousin Ronald; oh, please do some more, without scaring
Lu or anybody," pleaded Ned.

"Ned, Ned, it's time to go to bed," said a voice seeming to come from
the door of the stateroom where the little boy usually passed the
night.

"No, sir, you're mistaken," he answered; "it won't be that for two or
three hours yet."

"Captain," called a voice that seemed to come from overhead, "please
come up here, sir, and see if all is going well with the vessel."

Captain Raymond looked up. "I think I can trust matters to you for the
present, my men," he said. "We are in a safe harbor and have little or
nothing to fear."

"Papa, did somebody call you?" asked Ned.

"I rather think Cousin Ronald did," answered the captain; "but I don't
intend to go to the deck to find him, or answer his call to it, while
he sits here."

"No; what business has he to treat you so?" said a voice that sounded
like a woman's. "He ought to be glad to see you sit down and take a
rest occasionally."

"So he is," said Cousin Ronald, speaking in his natural tone and
manner. "He is always glad to have such busy folks take a bit o'
rest."

"But please don't you take a rest yet, Cousin Ronald; we want you to
make some more fun for us first--if you're not too tired," said Ned,
in coaxing tones.

"I am more than willing, laddie," returned the old gentleman
pleasantly, "for fun is oft-times beneficial, particularly to little
chaps such as you."

"I am bigger than I used to be," said Ned, "but I like fun quite as
well as I ever did."

"Very strange," said Lucilla, "very strange that a grave old man such
as you should care for fun."

"Yes, but my sister Lu likes it, and she's older--a great deal older
than I am," returned the little fellow, looking up into her face with
eyes that sparkled with fun.

At that she laughed and gave him a kiss.

"Yes, I am a great deal older than you, and so you ought to treat me
with great respect," she said.

"Ought I, papa?" he asked, turning to their father.

"It would be quite well to do so, if you want the reputation of being
a little gentleman," replied the captain, regarding his little son
with a smile of amusement.