Fred and Terry
began making preparations for the long trip down to Texas, accompanied
only by Evelyn.

While regretting to see her leave, her mother never objected to her
going anywhere with her brother; so, after a few days' preparations,
they were all ready to start.

Mary accompanied them down to New York City, where she was to spend a
week with Mrs. Middleton.

They finally decided to take a steamer from New York to New Orleans, and
quite a party of friends accompanied them down to the wharf. The very
best staterooms in the steamer had been reserved for them. Evelyn's
cabin was a bank of flowers, which loving friends and admirers had sent
down for her.

Evelyn was a pretty good sailor, and had once crossed the Atlantic
without the least bit of seasickness. Among the passengers was a family
of New Orleans people, a father and mother and two beautiful daughters.
The father was a rich New Orleans merchant whom Fred and Terry knew well
by reputation, and, of course, the merchant and his family knew them in
the same way Evelyn made their acquaintance before the vessel had
actually passed through the Narrows. The two sisters fell in love with
her at once. The elder sister was about twenty years of age and of
exquisite Creole beauty. She was very much surprised when she found out
that Evelyn could speak French as fluently as she could.

"Oh," said Evelyn, "I spent a most agreeable time in Paris once. My
brother and Mr. Fearnot are both quite good linguists, Mr. Fearnot
particularly. He can learn a foreign language more easily and rapidly
than any one I ever knew. Brother can learn it easily, too; but not as
much so as Mr. Fearnot."

Just as the steamer was passing out of the Narrows both Fred and Terry
came up to where Evelyn was talking with the two French girls, and she
introduced them to the boys.

Both the New Orleans girls looked at them as though somewhat surprised.
"Why, Mr. Fearnot," said one of them, "I've heard a great deal about
you, but you are much younger than I expected to find you."

"Oh, I'm a kid yet," he laughed, and Terry proceeded to amuse them with
some funny stories.

The elder of the two Creoles remarked that she was very fond of the sea.

"Do you ever get seasick?" Terry asked.

"No; do you?"

"Yes, every time I get out on blue water I have to pay tribute to old
King Neptune. I've done my best to make friends with him, but I always
fail. He will have his joke with me."

"Ladies,"