ng great guns: it always brings down the rain."

Calvert smiled graciously at hearing himself quoted.

It was the one sort of flattery he liked the best, and it rallied him
out of his dark humour. "Are you ready?"--he had almost added "dearest,"
and only caught himself in time--perhaps, indeed, not completely in
time--for she blushed, as she said, "Eccomi."

The sisters affectionately embraced each other. Emily even ran after
Florence to kiss her once again, after parting, and then Florry took
Calvert's arm, and hastened away to the jetty. "I declare," said she, as
she stepped into the boat, "this leave-taking habit, when one is going
out to ride, or to row, or to walk for an hour, is about the stupidest
thing I know of."

"I always said so. It's like making one's will every day before going
down to dinner. It is quite true you may chance to die before the
dessert, but the mere possibility should not interfere with your asking
for soup. No, no, Florry, you are to steer; the tiller is yours for
to-day; my post is here;" and he stretched himself at the bottom of the
boat, and took out his cigar. The light breeze was just enough to move
the little lateen sail, and gradually it filled out, and the skiff stole
quietly away from shore, without even a ripple on the water.

"What's the line, Florry?' Hope at the helm, pleasure at the prow,' or
is it love at the helm?"

"A bad steersman, I should say; far too capricious," cried she,
laughing.

"I don't know. I think he has one wonderful attribute; he has got wings
to fly away with whenever the boat is in danger, and I believe it is
pretty much what love does always."

"Can't say," said she, carelessly. "Isn't that a net yonder? Oughtn't we
to steer clear of it?"

"Yes. Let her fall off--so--that's enough. What a nice light hand you
have."

"On a horse they tell me my hand is very light."

"How I'd like to see you on my Arab 'Said.' Such a creature! so
large-eyed, and with such a full nostril, the face so concave in front,
the true Arab type, and the jaw a complete semicircle. How proud he'd
look under you, with that haughty snort he gives, as he bends his knee.
He was the present of a great Rajah to me--one of those native fellows
we are graciously pleased to call rebels, because they don't fancy to be
slaves. Two years ago he owned a territory about the size of half
Spain, and he is now something like a brigand chief, with a few hundred
followers."

"Dear Harry,