ter all." (The children had talked about the shipwreck so often that
they felt as if they remembered the awful scene.) "He was nearly dead by
that time, you know."

"Yes, and nearly dead or not, if he hadn't come back," chirped Dorothy,
who was growing tired of the tragic side of Donald's picture,--"if he
hadn't come back to take charge of us, and take us on board the big
ship--"

"The _Cumberland_," said Don.

"Yes, the _Cumberland_, or whatever she was called; if the _Cumberland_
had not come along the next day, and Jack hadn't climbed on board with
us, and wrapped us in blankets, and fed us and so on, it wouldn't have
been quite so gay!"

Now, nothing could have been in worse taste than the conclusion of this
speech, and Dorothy knew it; but she had spoken in pure defiance of
solemnity. There had been quite enough of that for one evening.

Uncle George, dazed, troubled, and yet in some vague way inexpressibly
comforted, was quietly looking first at one speaker, then at the other,
when Liddy opened the door with a significant, "Mr. Reed, sir, did you
ring?"

Oh, that artful Liddy! Uncle read "bed-time" in her countenance. It was
his edict that half-past nine should be the hour; and the D's knew that
their fate was sealed.

"Good-night, Uncle!" said Donald, kissing his uncle in good, hearty
fashion.

"Good-night, Uncle!" said Dorothy, clinging to his neck just an instant
longer than usual.

"Good-night, my blessings!" said Uncle George, reluctantly. And as he
closed the library door behind them, Nero, shut up in Liddy's room, was
barking furiously.

* * * * *

Two more orderly, well-behaved young persons never left an apartment.
But I must tell the truth: when they were fairly in the hall, Donald
started to go up stairs on the outside, holding on to the balusters, and
Dorry ran to the front door, in spite of Liddy's remonstrances, with a
frisky, "Oh, do let me have just one breath of fresh air!"

She came back instantly, rushed past Lydia, who was slowly puffing her
way up the stairs, met Donald at the first landing (he had condescended
by this time to leap over to the regulation side of the balusters), and
whispered:

"Upon my sacred word, I saw him! He's out there standing at the front
steps!"

"Uncle ought to know it!" exclaimed Donald, turning to run down again.

But he stopped on the next step, for Mr. George came out from the
library, opened the front door, and