; but I don't mind puttin' myself out
once in a while for a nice little gal. Step lively now, young man! Come
along, sissy!"

Mandy sat radiant in the little bow-seat, as the boat pushed off. A
great Albany "tow" was passing,--a whole fleet of barges and
canal-boats lashed together,--with calves and sheep bellowing and
bleating, cables creaking, clothes flapping on the lines; a big
steamboat, with a freight-barge under each wing, plowing the water on
ahead, and sending the waves chasing each other in shore.

The little boat danced gayly on the "rollers." A fresh wind blew toward
them, and brought with it a shout of "Boat ahoy! Hello, Cap'n! Got any
good stuff aboard?"

"Got some good _cider_," the "Cap'n" called in reply, with strong
emphasis on the last word.

"Come alongside, then!"

The "Cap'n" condescended to lean a little on his oars in pursuit of a
bargain, and sent the little boat spinning over the water toward one of
the barges in the rear part of the "tow."

Some men in a row were lounging over the rail; one of them threw a
rope, which hissed and splashed close to the boat. Perry caught it, and
they were soon under the lee of the floating village.

While the store was unlocked, and its wares handed out, Mandy noticed,
on the deck above, a woman washing a little boy three or four years
old. He stood in an old wooden pail, with a rope tied to the
handle,--his little white body, all naked and slippery, shining in the
sun. One could hardly help noticing him, he screamed so lustily as the
water was dashed over his head and shoulders.

Mandy saw how his face showed red and flushed with crying, under the
dripping yellow locks.

She thought uneasily of the baby, lying all alone on the old dock;
wondered if the sun had got round so as to shine in his face, and how
long the "Cap'n" would stand there, talking with those men. She was
happy again when the boat dropped behind and the "Cap'n" turned toward
the shore.

"Perry," he said, "just look at my watch--there in my weskit-pocket on
the starn-seat. What time's it got to be?"

"Twenty minutes to one," said Perry.

"What time'd I say we'd have them shad up there? One o'clock? Wal, one
o'clock it'll be, then. Only we can't leave this little gal ashore till
we come back."

"Oh, please----" Mandy began, in great dismay as she saw they were
passing the fishing-dock. "The baby! He's there all alone, and--oh,
Bub, the shawl's gone! I _must_ go ashore, Cap'n Ken