baby girl,
got out of the hotel 'bus. The boy was clinging to Wickett's hand, all
the while talking rapturously of the trip of the _Clermont_. With his
free arm Wickett was carrying the baby, which was murmuring, "Papa,
papa, papa!"

Carlin would have known Mrs. Wickett without an introduction or the
presence of the boy and the baby. Merely from the way she looked at
Wickett he knew that this was the girl who had gone sailing with him in
the dawn and become engaged before breakfast.

"It's all right," smiled Wickett, with his cheek against the baby's.
"This one can't seem to say anything but papa!"

Carlin nodded, and whispered: "And you couldn't afford it?"

Wickett grinned. "We couldn't; but we did. We always do."

"And how about the service--going to quit it?"

Wickett stared at Carlin. "Quit the service!"

Suddenly he recalled, and laughed, and whispered: "Sh-h--! I'm due for a
year and a half of shore duty. But don't mind if I hurry along, will
you? I got to get these children to bed."

"Go on--hurry--and good night," said Carlin. "Good night, Mrs. Wickett,"
and handed her into the elevator; and smoked two thoughtful cigars on
the veranda and then went inside and sat down and wrote a long letter on
the subject of the navy as a profession to the mother of a young lad
back home.

There was much detail, and then:

As to being away from home for long periods: Married officers tell
me that it is hard at times. But judging by what I saw awhile ago
here, the home-coming almost offsets the long absences. The kind of
a woman they marry probably makes a lot of difference. I'd say, let
him go if he wants to. Good night.

Your affectionate brother,

SAM.

CROSS COURSES

Hearing the boys in the office talking of a lecture at the Sailor's
Haven a few nights ago was what set me thinking to-day. It was on
superstition, and the speaker digressed to expend ten minutes, as he put
it, on sailors. A most superstitious lot, sailors.

He had a lot of fun with the sailors, and a crowd of old seafaring men
sat there and let him, until a boss stevedore from our wharf who'd been
one time mate of a coaster, with the preliminary contribution that this
was sure the wisest party he'd listened to in all o' seven years, rose
to inquire of the gentleman how long he'd been to sea.

Well, he had been to sea quite a little. Twice to Europe and return,
once to Panama and return, once to Ja