ee that I had only begun to appreciate
it."

"Oh, it's not such a bad old river," he said, letting his gaze wander out
over the water. "I suppose it appeals more to strangers than it does to
us natives. For instance, I would much rather see your Hudson River than
this."

"I suppose so," said Lucile, dreamily, and then added, almost as though
speaking to herself, "But the Hudson, though, of course, it is beautiful
and much larger than this, is in a new country, while the Thames--why,
the very name makes you think of those old times when there were noble
knights and beautiful ladies and jousts and all sorts of interesting
things. In those days the knights seemed to go around with a chip on
their shoulders all the time. If you happened to step on their foot or
any other little thing, they'd flare up, throw a glove or something in
your face--I should think it must have hurt sometimes, too--and command
you to joust for the honor of knight or lady----" She broke off with a
little laugh and added, demurely, "I don't know what you must think of
me--I'm not always like this, you know."

"I think you're----" he began, but just what he thought was never
expressed, for Mr. Payton and a friend, coming upon them unexpectedly,
uttered a surprised exclamation.

"Oh, here you are!" he said, amusement in the glance he gave them. "The
young folks are about to start the Victrola; don't you want to join
them?"

As if to give proof to his words, a merry one-step reached them from the
after deck and Lucile sprang to her feet, looking toward her escort
invitingly.

"We can't miss this," she said, with conviction.

Young Ridgely looked as if he could miss it with great pleasure, but he
followed her to the after deck, nevertheless.

"Will you go back again after the dance?" he pleaded, as they joined the
others. "We were having such a good talk."

"Perhaps," she half promised, with a tantalizing little laugh, and a
moment after was swept off into the dance by Archie, who had been
seriously considering organizing a search party.

"You were away a mighty long time," he reproached her. "What were you
doing all the time with that Ridgely guy?"

"I shouldn't call him a guy; he's a very nice fellow," said Lucile,
demurely. "Besides, we were only admiring the view."

"Huh!" grunted Archie, unconvinced. "I dare say he found the view very
interesting," he added, meaningly.

"Doubtless he did, since he wants to go back and look at it all