tion, borrow her for
an hour, and personally conduct her to the palace. The late lamented
King's royal authority contained no stipulation about the missing child
being returned in a state of single blessedness, therefore the reward is
yours. Add that up, and see if it doesn't spell Eureka!"

Doloria turned to Monsieur with a glorious smile and, being nearest,
received the first hug as the light of Tommy's reasoning burst upon him.
Then he bounded up and hugged me; but Gates and Tommy ran away, the
cowards, yet did a lot of laughing from a distance. And now the forward
watch called something, at the same time pointing off our port bow. Low
upon the water lay Miami.

Excitedly we took turns focusing the binoculars on it, and after a
little as we drew fairly near Tommy, with a puzzled look, asked:

"Who are those people on your Colonel's dock?"

"My father, maybe. I wired him to come."

"Boy, I mean the petticoats! Look at 'em--there're two!"

"Can you make out their faces?" I asked, having a good time all to
myself; for here was my chance to return an obligation in the matter of
courtships which, if not cancelled, would furnish the versatile Tommy
with an anecdote I should never outlive.

"Not yet," he mumbled, squinting more closely.

"One's probably the Mater," I suggested.

"I hope so," he smiled, lowering the binoculars. "What was the toast you
gave her, Jack?--'if romance and adventure are alive I'll bring them
home to you!'--wasn't that it?"

"Yes, and we sailed out on that quest only seventeen days ago. It seems
incredible, doesn't it!"

"It sure does," he chuckled, once more raising the glasses. "You've put
on seventeen pounds, too,--besides a special chunk of 120, or
thereabouts, which you gained the night of the rescue. That's some
record, boy! See here," he asked quickly, "who the deuce are those
people, anyway! One has a mighty familiar look!" And I could hardly keep
from laughing as I answered:

"I think the Mater went by Louisville and picked up Nell----"

"Good Lord, I _see_ her," he yelled, so instantly and irrepressibly
delirious with joy that he let my binoculars fall overboard, the chump.

But now I saw that Doloria--which was the other name for romance and
adventure--had slipped away from Monsieur; she had gone forward and, all
alone, was leaning against the foremast, gazing dreamily at this new
world and these new people who waited to take her to their hearts. So I
forgot Tommy, God b