preparation from going on.

Linnet played with the fringe of her shawl and looked as if something
hard to speak were hovering over her lips.

"Did mother tell you about Will?" she asked, abruptly, interrupting one
of Miss Prudence's stories to Marjorie of which she had not heeded one
word.

"About Will!" repeated Marjorie. "What has happened to him?"

Linnet looked up with arch, demure eyes. "He told mother and me while we
were getting supper; he likes to come out in the kitchen. The first mate
died and he was made first mate on the trip home, and the captain wrote a
letter to his father about him, and his father is as proud as he can be
and says he'll give him the command of the bark that is being built in
Portland, and he mustn't go away again until that is done. Captain Rheid
is the largest owner, he and African John, so they have the right to
appoint the master. Will thinks it grand to be captain at twenty-four."

"But doesn't Harold feel badly not to have a ship, too?" asked Marjorie,
who was always thinking of the one left out.

"But he's younger and his chance will come next. He doesn't feel sure
enough of himself either. Will has studied navigation more than he has.
Will went to school to an old sea-captain to study it, but Harold didn't,
he said it would get knocked into him, somehow. He's mate on a ship he
likes and has higher wages than Will will get, at first, but Will likes
the honor. It's so wonderful for his father to trust him that he can
scarcely believe it; he says his father must think he is some one else's
son. But that letter from the old shipmaster that Captain Rheid used to
know has been the means of it."

"Is the bark named yet?" asked Marjorie. "Captain Rheid told father he
was going to let Mrs. Rheid name it."

"Yes," said Linnet, dropping her eyes to hide the smile in them, "she is
named LINNET."

"Oh, how nice! How splendid," exclaimed Marjorie, "Won't it look grand in
the _Argus_--'Bark LINNET, William Rheid, Master, ten days from
Portland'?"

"Ten days to where?" laughed Linnet.

"Oh, to anywhere. Siberia or the West Indies. I _wish_ he'd ask us to go
aboard, Linnet. _Don't_ you think he might?"

"We might go and see her launched! Perhaps we all have an invitation;
suppose you run and ask mother," replied Linnet, with the demure smile
about her lips.

Marjorie flew away, Linnet arose slowly, gathering her shawl about her,
and passed through the entry up to her own chamber.