But at that instant there came a sound as of a shrill whistle
overhead, followed by a shout in stentorian tones: "Hello! look out
there! Ship ahoy! Do you mean to run into us? If we get foul of each
other somebody may be sent to Davy Jones' locker."

Everybody started, and the captain rose to his feet, a look of anxiety
coming over his face.

But Cousin Ronald gave him a roguish look.

"I wouldn't mind it, captain," he said. "It's only a false alarm. I
doubt if there is any vessel near us."

The captain reseated himself, while Grace exclaimed with a sigh of
relief, "Oh, I am so glad it was but a false alarm! A collision would
be so dreadful, either to us or to the people on the other vessel, and
maybe to both."

"Oh, it was just you, was it, Cousin Ronald?" laughed Ned. "Please do
some more."

At that instant there was a loud squeak, as of a mouse that seemed to
be on his own shoulder, and he started to his feet with a loud scream:
"Oh, take it off, papa! Quick, quick!"

Everybody laughed; and Lucilla said teasingly, "I'm afraid you are not
fit to be a soldier yet, Neddie boy."

"Maybe I will be by the time I'm tall enough," he returned rather
shamefacedly.

"Yes, son, I believe you will," said his father. "I don't expect a son
of mine to grow up to be a coward."

"I might have known it was Cousin Ronald, and not a real mouse, on my
shoulder," remarked the little fellow with a mortified air; "but I
didn't think just the first minute."

"Cousin Ronald on your shoulder?" laughed Lucilla. "I don't think he
could stand there; and his weight would be quite crushing to you."

"Of course it would. He couldn't stand there at all," laughed Ned.

"No," said Mr. Lilburn, "it would be much more sensible for me to take
you on my shoulder."

"Papa takes me on his sometimes," said Ned, "but not so often now as
he used to when I was a little boy."

"Ha, ha, ha! what are you now, sonny?" asked a voice that seemed to
come from a distance.

Ned colored up. "I'm a good deal bigger now than I was once," he said.

"And hoping to grow a good deal bigger yet," added his father, smiling
down into the little flushed, excited face.

"Yes, papa, I hope to be as big as brother Max, or you, some of these
days," returned the child.

"Don't be in a hurry about growing up," said the voice that had spoken
a moment before.

"Grown folk have troubles and trials the little ones know nothing
about."

"But the grown-ups may hope