that we couldn't make ourselves
heard as we neared camp. I'm sure I don't see how you could think we
were laughing at you. It was those absurd dogs, and you'd have laughed
yourself if you'd looked up and seen them. I'm sure it was awfully good
of you to take so much trouble over this little fellow, and put him so
nicely to sleep with your sing-- I mean with your humming, though I
assure you we didn't hear a hum."

"Waal," replied Jalap Coombs, greatly mollified by Phil's attitude. "I
warn't humming very loud, not nigh _so_ loud as I had been at fust. Ye
see, I were kinder tapering off so as to lay the kid down, and begin to
get supper 'gainst you kim back."

"Yes, I see," said Phil, almost choking with suppressed laughter. "But
how did it happen that you were compelled to act as nurse? The little
chap seemed happy enough when we went away."

"So he were, till he found you was gone. Then he begun to pipe his eye
and set storm signals, and directly it come on to blow a hurricane with
heavy squalls. So I had to stand by. Fust off I thought the masts would
surely go; but I took a reef here and there, and kinder got things
snugged down, till after a whilt the sky broke, the sun kim out, and
fair weather sot in once more."

"Well," said Phil, admiringly, "you certainly acted with the judgment of
an A No. 1 seaman, and I don't believe even your esteemed friend Captain
Robinson could have done better. We shall call on you whenever our
little pilot gets into troubled waters again, and feel that we are
placing him in the best possible hands."

At which praise Jalap Coombs was greatly pleased, and said as how he'd
be proud at all times to stand by the kid. Thus on the same day that
little Nel-te McLeod lost his parents he found a brother and two stanch
friends.

[TO BE CONTINUED.]

UNCLE SAM AS A STAMP-MAKER.

BY FRANCES BENJAMIN JOHNSTON.

"Here, boys, is a piece of legislation which will add a new series of
stamps to your collections," said Mr. Copeland, as he glanced up from
his morning paper. "The bill transferring the printing of stamps to the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing has just become a law, and hereafter
Uncle Sam will manufacture his own stamps, as well as his own paper
money."

"Why, father, if they make them here, we can see just how it's done!"
exclaimed Donald, the eldest of the Copeland boys, who, with his
brothers Jack and Ezra, was now experiencing the severest stage of the
"stamp fever."