l," she responded; rather dolefully, I thought. "You
have been very good to me, and,"--her eyes welling up with tears--"I
shall never forget you; but I know my presence must be a great
inconvenience and embarrassment to you."

"Pray stop!" I interrupted. "You are under the greatest
misapprehension if you suppose your presence on board the _Water Lily_
is any other than a source of the most unqualified gratification to her
crew. You are evidently quite ignorant of the beneficent influences of
your presence here, or you would never have spoken of it as an
inconvenience. Your departure will occasion us the keenest regret
whenever it takes place, and were it not that our cramped accommodations
must occasion you very considerable discomfort, I should rejoice at
almost any circumstance which would necessitate your remaining with us
for the rest of the voyage."

"Do you really mean it?" she exclaimed, her sweet face brightening up at
once. "Oh, I am _so_ glad! Do you know I have thought your anxiety to
meet with a ship arose from my being in your way, and troublesome. And
you are really willing to let me remain, and go home with you? How very
kind it is of you! I will be quite good, and do whatever you tell me;
and, indeed, I will not cause you the least bit of trouble. And,"--her
face clouding over again for a moment--"I so dread arriving in England
an utter stranger, and having to search, quite unassisted, for
grandpapa; and it would be _so_ dreadful if he were to turn me away from
his doors. And I should feel, oh! miserably friendless and lonely if I
had really to go about from place to place seeking for a situation, or
trying to get pupils. But if you will let me stay here and go home with
you, I shall not feel it so much, for I am sure you will help me in my
search for my friends; and it is so delightful,"--brightening up
again--"to be dancing over this bright, sparkling sea day after day, in
this dear little yacht, and to see the kind faces of that darling old
original Bob and--and--and--the kitten."

"And the fowls," I suggested demurely. "But, in electing to remain on
board the _Water Lily_, you must bear in mind, my dear Miss Brand, that
it is not always with us as it is at present. Just now we are fortunate
in the enjoyment of a fair wind and smooth sea, but we have been exposed
to many dangers since we left England, and it is only reasonable to
suppose we shall have to encounter many more before we