for the least
of my fingers, into the spring-loop which held my watch on its chain.

"My watch and I are one," I said. "Only burglary or death can separate
me from the ring now; and if I'm smashed next time Jack Winston lets
me drive his motor car, there will probably be a romantic little
paragraph in the papers--perhaps even a pathetic verse--about the ring
on the dead man's watch-chain, which will give you every
satisfaction."

"The boat's whistling," said the Boy. "We'd better run, if we want to
see the Abbey of Hautecombe before lunch."

We did run, and caught the boat in that uncertain and exciting manner
which brings into play a physical appurtenance unrecognised by
science, _i.e._, the skin of the teeth. Under the awning which shaded
the deck, we took the only two seats not occupied by an abnormally
large German family,--abnormally large individually as well as
collectively,--and settled ourselves for half an hour's enjoyment of a
charming water-panorama.

"What a heavenly place Aix is!" exclaimed the Boy fervently. "I'm so
glad I came."

"I thought yesterday that you were disappointed in the place."

"Oh, yesterday was yesterday. To-day's to-day. How glorious everything
is, in the world. I do love living. And I like everybody so much. What
nice, good creatures one's fellow beings are. My heart warms to them.
I don't believe anybody's really horrid, through and through. I should
like to pat somebody on the shoulder."

"Queer thing; I feel exactly the same way this morning," said I.
"Shall we throw ourselves on one another's bosom, and kiss each other
on both cheeks, German fashion, to show our good will towards all
mankind? I'm sure our travelling companions would warmly sympathize
with our _schwaermerei_."

"No-o, perhaps we'd better not risk setting them the example, for fear
they should follow it."

"Then let's shake hands."

He put out his little slim brown paw, and I seized it with such
heartiness that he visibly winced, but not a squeak did the pain draw
from him; and the large Germans, looking on gravely, no doubt thought
that, according to some queer English rite, we had registered an
important vow.

Really the world was a nice place that day, though I might not have
noticed it so much if the Boy and I had been still at loggerheads.

Yesterday, as we entered Aix, I had said to myself that the mountains
surrounding the town had descended to depths of dumpy ugliness
unworthy the name and d