m on the Mosquito Coast. I was thinking of
signaling to you, but you seemed so very happy out there."

"Mrs. Westmacott is a very clever woman," said the Doctor, lighting the
cigar. "By the way, you spoke about the Mosquito Coast just now. Did you
see much of the Hyla when you were out there?"

"No such name on the list," answered the seaman, with decision. "There's
the Hydra, a harbor defense turret-ship, but she never leaves the home
waters."

The Doctor laughed. "We live in two separate worlds," said he. "The Hyla
is the little green tree frog, and Beale has founded some of his views
on protoplasm upon the appearances, of its nerve cells. It is a subject
in which I take an interest."

"There were vermin of all sorts in the woods. When I have been on river
service I have heard it at night like the engine-room when you are on
the measured mile. You can't sleep for the piping, and croaking, and
chirping. Great Scott! what a woman that is! She was across the lawn
in three jumps. She would have made a captain of the foretop in the old
days."

"She is a very remarkable woman."

"A very cranky one."

"A very sensible one in some things," remarked Mrs. Hay Denver.

"Look at that now!" cried the Admiral, with a lunge of his forefinger at
the Doctor. "You mark my words, Walker, if we don't look out that woman
will raise a mutiny with her preaching. Here's my wife disaffected
already, and your girls will be no better. We must combine, man, or
there's an end of all discipline."

"No doubt she is a little excessive in her views." said the Doctor, "but
in the main I think as she does."

"Bravo, Doctor!" cried the lady.

"What, turned traitor to your sex! We'll court-martial you as a
deserter."

"She is quite right. The professions are not sufficiently open to women.
They are still far too much circumscribed in their employments. They
are a feeble folk, the women who have to work for their bread--poor,
unorganized, timid, taking as a favor what they might demand as a right.
That is why their case is not more constantly before the public, for if
their cry for redress was as great as their grievance it would fill the
world to the exclusion of all others. It is all very well for us to be
courteous to the rich, the refined, those to whom life is already made
easy. It is a mere form, a trick of manner. If we are truly courteous,
we shall stoop to lift up struggling womanhood when she really needs our
help--when it is lif