not,
for the life of him, see why this gentleman, wealthy and liberal though
he was, should give her such an immense sum of money. It was a very
perplexing problem, and he could not solve it. His kind friend conducted
him to the house. Grace was so glad to see him, that she actually kissed
him this time; and Bobtail felt as though he had tumbled into a
cream-pot. Mrs. Montague was very demonstrative, and the Hon. Mr.
Montague was more dignified, but hardly less cordial.

"Now you must stay with us all night, and all to-morrow, and all next
week," said Grace.

"I can't," laughed Bobtail. "I brought two gentlemen up in the Skylark,
and I must sail them back to-night."

"Plague take the two gentlemen!" said Grace, pettishly. "Let them go
back in the stage or the steamer."

"I promised to take them back to-night; and I must keep my promise, you
know, if the sky falls," pleaded the young skipper.

"Of course he must, Grace," added her father. "But he will come up some
other time, and stay a month."

Little Bobtail spent an hour in the elegant mansion, whose luxuriously
furnished apartments filled him with wonder and astonishment, for he had
never seen anything half so fine. He promised faithfully to come some
other time, and stay longer. Grace walked with him down to the wharf.
The Skylark's passengers were on board, and ready to start, and in a few
moments the yacht was under way. Grace waved her handkerchief to the
gallant skipper, as the Skylark pulled away.

"Who is that young lady?" asked Mr. Jones, as Bobtail returned the
salute.

"That's the one that fell off the rocks at Blank Island," replied the
skipper.

"And the one you saved! Why didn't you say so before, so that we could
have a good look at her?"

"I didn't think of it."

"She is a rich man's daughter."

"Yes, sir; her father is as rich as mud."

"And one of these days, Captain Bobtail, you will marry her, just as it
is laid down in the novels," laughed Mr. Howe.

"I guess not;" and Bobtail blushed at the presumptuous idea. "She will
not marry any poor fellow like me, you'd better believe. She will fish
for bigger game than I am."

"She seems to like you very well."

"O, well, that's nothing; she's only a girl, and I'm only a boy," added
the skipper.

Much to his relief, the topic was changed. The return trip was quite as
pleasant as the other had been, and at nine o'clock the Skylark landed
her passengers at the steamboat wharf, in good