hat he was as hot as it was possible for a
man to be; but he found now that he was mistaken.

"I beg your pardon," he stammered. "I did not catch your name; but of
course I oughtn't to have said anything."

"I wonder you didn't see the likeness," the girl said demurely. "My
aunt considers there is a great likeness between us."

"I am sure I cannot see it the least bit in the world," Ralph said
emphatically; "not the smallest. But I hope you forgive me for that
unfortunate remark; but the fact is, I felt a little bewildered at the
time. I am not much of a dancer, and your aunt is really so energetic
that I had to exert myself to the utmost to keep up with her."

"I think you did admirably, Mr. Conway. We quite admired you both.
There," she said laughing at Ralph's confusion, "you need not be
afraid about my not forgiving you for the remark. Everyone knows that
Aunt Tabitha and we girls never get on very well together; and she
does make herself dreadfully ridiculous, and I think it was too bad of
Captain O'Connor putting you up with her."

"Thank you, Miss Regan," Ralph said earnestly. "The fact is I haven't
joined long, and I don't care much for parties. You see, I have only
left school a few months, and haven't got accustomed to talk to ladies
yet; and O'Connor--who is always up to some fun or other--did it just
to cure what he calls my shyness. However, I can quite forgive him
now."

"I don't think you are so very shy, Mr. Conway," Miss Regan said with
a smile. "That last sentence was very pretty, and if I had not hold of
your arm I should make you a courtesy."

"No, please don't do that," Ralph said, coloring hotly. "I didn't mean
anything, you know."

"Now, don't spoil it. You meant I suppose, what was quite proper you
should mean, that Captain O'Connor by introducing me to you had made
up for his last delinquency."

"Yes, that is what I did mean," Ralph agreed.

"Captain O'Connor tells me that you have been through all sorts of
adventures, Mr. Conway--been carried off by a French privateer, and
taken to a pirate island, and done all sorts of things."

"The 'all sorts of things' did not amount to much, Miss Regan. I made
myself as useful as I could, and picked up French; and at last when
the privateer sailed away I walked down to the shore and met our
sailors when they landed. There was, I can assure you, nothing in any
way heroic about the part I had to play."

"Still it was an adventure."

"Oh! yes