in his path.

"I wish you had not invited that puppy, Don John," said Nellie, as they
moved towards the tables; and there was a snap in her tones which
emphasized the remark.

"I didn't invite him," replied Donald, warmly.

"He came in with you, and Mr. Rodman said you must have asked him."

"Indeed, I did not; I had no right to invite him," protested Donald.

Nellie immediately told this to the host of the occasion, and in doing
so she left Donald for a moment.

"Why don't you get out of the way, Don John, when you see what I am up
to?" said Laud, in a low tone, but earnestly and indignantly, as though
Donald had stepped between him and the cheerful destiny in which his
imagination revelled.

"What are you up to?"

"I told you before that I liked Nellie, and you are all the time coming
between me and her. She would have taken my arm if you had stepped
aside."

"I don't choose to step aside," added Donald.

"I want to get in there, Don John," added Laud, in a milder tone.

"Paddle your own canoe."

"You don't care anything about her."

"How do you know I don't?"

"Do you?"

"That's my affair."

"She don't care for you."

"Nor you, either."

"Perhaps not now, but I can make it all right with her," said Laud, as
he twirled his colored mustache, which he probably regarded as a
lady-killer. "Besides, you are not old enough to think of such things
yet, Don John."

"Well, I don't think of such things yet," replied Donald, who really
spoke only the truth, so far as he was consciously concerned.

"But you ought not to stick by her to-day. You are the boat-builder, and
you should bestow your attentions upon Maud Rodman, after whom the yacht
was named. She is the daughter of the man who gave you the job. If you
will just keep away from Nellie, I can paddle my own canoe, as you say."

"Mr. Cavendish," interposed Mr. Rodman, "I believe you are not a member
of the Belfast Yacht Club."

"I am not yet, but I intend to join," replied Laud.

"In the mean time, this occasion is for the members of the club and
their friends; and I wish to suggest the propriety of your withdrawing,
as I believe you are here without an invitation," added Mr. Rodman.

"I came with Don John," said Laud, rather startled by the plain speech
of the host.

"If Don John invited you--"

"I didn't invite him, or any one else. I did not consider that I had any
right to do so," protested Donald, as he walked forward and joined
Nell