me JEWEL.

The child lifted her head quickly and gazed at him, "Grandpa, that almost
couldn't--_happen_" she said, in amazement, catching her breath.

He nodded. "There's one thing pretty certain, Nature won't draw off the
pond now that this has come to you."

"Me, _me_!" cried the child. Her lips trembled and she turned a little pale
under the tan as she remembered how the pony came. Then her eyes, dark with
excitement, suffused, and recklessly she flung herself upon the broker's
neck while the boat rocked wildly.

Mr. Evringham waved one hand toward his daughter while he seized the mast.
"Tell Harry we left our love," he cried.

"Dear me, Jewel, what are you _doing_!" called Mrs. Evringham.

"It's mine, mother, it's mine," cried the child, lifting her head to shout
it, and then ducking back into the broker's silk shirt front.

"What do you mean?" asked Mrs. Evringham, coming gingerly out upon the
wharf, which was such an unsteady old affair that she had remained on terra
firma.

"Why, you see," responded Mr. Evringham, "the farmhouse boat wasn't so
impossible for two old sea-dogs like Jewel and me, but when it came to
inviting her lady mother to go out with us, I saw that we must have
something else. Well, it seems as if Jewel approved of this."

He winked at his daughter over the flaxen head on his breast.

"What a fortunate, fortunate girl!" exclaimed Julia. "I can hardly wait to
sit on one of those beautiful red cushions."

"Jewel will invite you pretty soon, I think," said Mr. Evringham. "I hope
so, for one of my feet is turned in and she is standing on it, but I
wouldn't have her get off until she is entirely ready."

He could feel the child swallowing hard, and though she moved her little
feet, she could not lift her face.

"Grandpa," she began, in an unsteady, muffled tone, "I didn't tease you too
much about the old boat, did I?"

"No,--no, child!"

"Shall you--shall you like this one, too?"

"Well, I should rather think so. I have to give all my shoes to the poor as
it is. I've nothing left fit to put on but my riding-boots. How shall we go
over to the beach this time, Jewel, row or sail? Your mother is waiting for
you to ask her to get in."

Slowly the big bows behind the child's ears came down into their normal
position. She kissed her grandfather fervently and then turned her flushed
face and eyes toward her mother.

"Come in, so you can see the boat's name," she said, and her smile sho