but ourselves and the Chippertons.

"When we got here, and found you had gone to look for us, I wanted to
get another tug and go right after you, but my wife was a good deal
shaken up, and I did not want to leave her; and Parker and Darrell said
they had given positive orders to have you brought back this morning, so
I waited. I was only too glad to know you were all safe. I got up early
in the morning, and went down to watch for you. You must have been
surprised to see me fishing, but I had nothing else to do, and so I
hired a pole and line of a boy. It helped very much to pass the time
away."

"Yes," said Rectus, "you didn't notice us at all, you were so much
interested."

"Well, you see," said Mr. Chipperton, "I had a bite just at that minute;
and, besides, I really did not look for you on such a little boat. I had
an idea you would come on something more respectable than that."

"As if we should ever think of respectability at such a time!" said Mrs.
Chipperton, with tears in her eyes.

"As for you boys," said Mr. Chipperton, getting up and taking us each by
the hand, "I don't know what to say to you."

I thought, for my part, that they had all said enough already. They had
praised and thanked us for things we had never thought of.

"I almost wish you were orphans," he continued, "so that I might adopt
you. But a boy can't have more than one father. However, I tell you! a
boy can have as many uncles as he pleases. I'll be an uncle to each of
you as long as I live. Ever after this call me Uncle Chipperton. Do you
hear that?"

We heard, and said we'd do it.

Soon after this, lots of people came in, and the whole thing was gone
over again and again. I am sorry to say that, at one or two places in
the story, Mrs. Chipperton kissed us both again.

Before we went down to dinner, I asked Uncle Chipperton how his lung had
stood it, through all this exposure.

"Oh, bother the lung!" he said. "I tell you; boys, I've lost faith in
that lung,--at least, in there being anything the matter with it. I
shall travel for it no more."

CHAPTER XXII.

LOOKING AHEAD.

"We have made up our minds," said Uncle Chipperton, that afternoon, "to
go home and settle down, and let Corny go to school. I hate to send her
away from us, but it will be for her good. But that wont be until next
fall. We'll keep her until then. And now, I'll tell you what I think
we'd all better do. It's too soon to go North yet. No one should