ticing the change in the course of the boat.

"Perhaps I am--I don't know," I replied; "I am afraid if I take you over
to Parkville, people will think I am smarter than I ever was before."

"Why?" asked she, bestowing a painfully anxious glance upon me.

"Don't you think it would be rather smart for Bob Hale and me to run
away with a young lady like you?"

"Run away with me!" exclaimed she, with a troubled look.

"What should we do with you after we had landed you?"

"O, I won't give you any trouble at all--not a bit."

"We don't mind the trouble, Miss Loraine; we were only thinking what
would become of you."

"I have an uncle in New York city--my father's brother. If I can only
get to him, it will be all I want," she answered, and her future course
seemed to be clear enough to her.

"But how will you get to New York?" I asked.

"I don't know; I would rather walk than stay at Cannondale any longer."

"Haven't you written to your uncle?" asked Bob.

"No; I don't know what his first name is; and Mrs. Loraine won't let me
write any letters. I wrote one once, and directed it to Mr. Loraine, New
York, but she burnt it up."

"Do you think you could find him?"

"I am sure I could. I would call on every one of that name in the city.
Why, Ernest Thornton! You are going back to Cannondale!" exclaimed Kate,
as she happened to glance ahead, and saw the shore not far distant.

"Don't be alarmed, Miss Loraine. Just now you said I was a hero, and a
smart boy, and all that sort of thing. My friend Bob Hale, here, is as
smart and as much of a hero as I am, I assure you. Between us two we
will do what we can for you," I interposed when she began to exhibit
signs of another outbreak of emotion.

"That's so!" added Bob, decidedly; and he was always ready to back up
any thing I said or did.

"Now keep cool, Miss Loraine," I continued. "Don't be a bit afraid, and
Bob and I will see you through, if we have to stand on our heads and
walk through fire and water to do it."

"You are very kind, and I am very much obliged to you," replied she,
with a shudder, as she glanced at the pier, a quarter of a mile off, on
which Mrs. Loraine was still standing. "But don't make me go there
again."

"Now, Miss Loraine, you must be reasonable," said I, in the gentlest
tone I could command, albeit I was not much accustomed to the
refinements of young ladies' society. "It would not be right for Bob and
me to carry you away from your home.