ry well, I believe?" he said, turning a sudden
look on me, which would have been very disconcerting to an older person,
or one more acquainted with the world.

"O, very well indeed," I said with great simplicity. "You know he is
such a favorite with my uncle, and he is a great deal at the house."

"Well he may be a favorite, for he is built exactly on his model; at
seventy, if I am not hung for debt before I reach it, I shall look to
see him just a second Mr. Leonard Greer."

I made a gesture of dissent. "I don't think he is in the least like
Uncle Leonard, and I don't think he cares at all for money."

"O, Miss Pauline, don't you believe him if he says he doesn't. I'm his
younger brother, whom he has lectured and been hard on for these
twenty-seven years, and I know more about it than anybody else."

"Why, is Mr. Richard Vandermarck twenty-seven years old?" I said with
much surprise.

"Twenty-nine his next birthday, and I am twenty-seven. Why, did he pass
himself off for younger? That's an excellent thing against him."

"No; he did not pass himself off for anything in the matter of age. It
was only my idea about him. I thought he was not more than twenty-five,
perhaps even younger than that. But then I had nobody but Uncle Leonard
to compare him with, and it isn't strange that I didn't get
quite right."

"It _is_ something of a step from Mr. Greer to Richard, I must say. Mr.
Greer seems so much the oldest man in the world, and Richard--well,
Richard isn't that, but he is a good deal older than he ought to be.
But do you tell me, Miss Pauline, you havn't any younger fellows than
Richard on your cards? Do they keep you as quiet as all that in
Varick-street?"

I knew by intuition this was impertinence, and no doubt I looked
annoyed, and Mr. Vandermarck hastened to obliterate the impression by a
very rapid movement upon the scenery, the beauties of the river, and
many things as novel.

The three hours of our sail passed away pleasantly. Mr. Vandermarck did
not move from his seat; did not even read his paper, though I gave him
an opportunity by turning over the leaves of my "Littel" on the
occurrence of every pause.

I felt that I knew him quite well before the journey was over, and I
liked him exceedingly, almost as well as Richard. He was rather
handsomer than Richard, not so tall, but more vivacious and more
amusing, much more so. I began to think Richard rather dull when I
contrasted him with his brother.