"Just in the nick of time, Martha," said Thinkright, coming forward and
shaking hands. "We've a beauty here to show you."

Miss Martha came forward to greet Cap'n Lem.

"Glad to see you back, Miss Marthy. What d'ye think o' this plaything,
hey?"

"Why, I think it _is_ a plaything!" returned Miss Lacey briskly. "What
are you going to do with it, Cap'n Lem? Use it for an ornament on the
lawn and plant flowers in it?"

"Wall, I guess I can't afford no sech a vase as that,--not till my ship
comes in."

"But it's a mere toy for the ocean, as you say," rejoined Miss Martha.
"Who would go out in that shell?"

"This child here," said Thinkright, while Sylvia's eyes grew more
eager. "It's just the thing for the basin."

"Thinkright, you haven't bought me a boat!" the girl cried.

He shook his head and smiled. "No, not I. Your Uncle Calvin has sent
you this."

"And if it hain't got the durndest name for a yaller bo't that ever I
see," remarked Cap'n Lem.

"Yes," added Thinkright. "We're surprised at the name, for it is Judge
Trent's own selection. It scarcely seems characteristic."

Sylvia and her aunt hurried around the other side of the little craft.
In neat, small black letters was printed, The Rosy Cloud.

Sylvia gazed, then she colored to the roots of the silky curls and
laughed. The others watched her curiously.

"Do you know what he was aiming at?" asked Thinkright.

"Yes," she nodded. "He was aiming high."

Miss Lacey kept her sharp eyes on the conscious young face, devoured
with curiosity.

"Tell us the joke, Sylvia," she begged.

"It isn't a joke, it's earnest," returned the girl, and a warm feeling
arose in her heart for the eagle-eyed man in the high hat. "Did you
ever hear of anything so surprising, Thinkright, and so kind?"

"He told me he was going to order it when he went away," responded her
cousin; then he turned toward Miss Lacey. "Calvin found this child of
ours trying to learn to row in an old general utility tub I have down
at the basin, and he thought she deserved better things."

The speaker looked at Sylvia, who came close to him and took hold of
his hand, while she continued to look at her new possession.

It was Love expressed to her again; and the guest she had tried with
gentleness to win, sweet Humility, sank deeper into her heart, and sent
up a note of gratitude that she had not a few minutes ago tried to
punish Aunt Martha by word or look and so embittered this moment.