y bestowed
upon him.

Above all, he was grateful for the opportunity of serving Captain
Littleton, who had been so kind to him and to his mother. He was happy
in the thought of having saved that darling child from a watery grave,
and he had given the fond father a good reason for being his friend as
long as he lived. Paul never thought of any reward; he hoped Captain
Littleton would not give him anything, for that would deprive him of one
half the satisfaction the act had afforded him.

Another week passed by, and still, to the astonishment and disgust of
the gossips of Bayville, Captain Littleton took no further notice of
Paul's heroic deed. Mrs. Green, who was Mrs. Duncan's nearest neighbor,
ventured to suggest that the captain was a mean man, and she wouldn't
have thought it of him.

"What would you have him do?" asked Paul, to whom Captain Littleton's
reputation was as dear as that of his mother, or even of his dead
father.

"What would I have him do?" repeated the old lady. "Why, he ought to
give you a hundred dollar bill, all for your own. At least he ought to
give you fifty."

"I don't want anything, Mrs. Green," said Paul stoutly.

"That's nothing to do with it. He could just offer it--couldn't he? He
is a rich man, and a hundred dollars is no more to him than a hundred
cents to me. It is downright mean, there."

"I don't think so, marm. Captain Littleton has done everything he could
for mother and for me, and I'm sure I was glad to have a chance to do
something for him."

"That may be; but it don't look well for a rich man like him to let you
save his little daughter from drowning, and then only say thank'ee for
it."

"I think it does, Mrs. Green, and I hope he will let the matter rest
just where it is."

"There is no danger now but what he will. If he ever meant to do
anything for you, he would have done it before now."

"I am perfectly contented, marm, and I only wish the neighbors were as
easy about it as I am."

"It ain't none of the neighbors' business, I know," added Mrs. Green, a
little tartly; "but I can't look on and see such meanness without
speaking of it. It don't make no difference who I say it to, neither; I
had just as lief say it to Captain Littleton, as say it to you and your
mother. That is just what I think, and I may just as well speak it as
think it."

It was a remarkable fact, under the circumstances, that Mrs. Green never
did give Captain Littleton the benefit of her op