o, took a great interest in the new acquisition,
seeming to recognize in it an addition to his circle of friends. And
George rubbed his hands, and chuckled with satisfaction, as he repeated
again that Master Gordon's boat should sail on the Cove as tight and
trim as the "Fair Alice" herself.

And I--yes, I must confess it, found the old miserable feelings were all
back again, and vainly tried to shake off the dead weight which had
settled upon me from the moment that I had clearly understood that
Aleck, and not I, was to possess the new vessel.

Perhaps George detected something of what was passing in my mind, for,
when the question arose which of us boys should go up to the house to
ask permission for the expedition to the White-Rock Cove, he decided at
once that it should be Aleck, saying that he and I would have time for
trying the kite meanwhile; and, looking back at it now, I fancy I can
understand his wanting to take off my thoughts from Aleck's present, and
make me think about my own.

So Aleck started off by the Zig-zag, and George and I would have set to
flying the kite immediately, had not he discovered that one of the sails
of our own boat had been taken up to the lodge, and that he must go and
look for it first.

"I'll be back in less than a quarter of an hour, sir," he said, however,
as he left; "and you can have the kite and be on the meadow ready."

I had taken up the kite in my hand, but I threw it aside again the
moment George turned his back upon me, and sitting down upon the stones
near the water's edge, with Frisk's fore-paws stretched across my lap,
looked gloomily at the water and at Aleck's new boat. Evil feelings grew
stronger and stronger within me as I looked. Though fascinated so that I
could not take my eyes off it, I hated the very sight of the pretty
little schooner, and wished heartily that George had never made it. And
I thought about Aleck, how happy he was this morning, and how miserable
I was; and I thought it unfair of him to be happier in my own home than
I was; and then I wondered why George should care for him so much as to
take all that trouble for him, forgetting how I had begged old George to
love my cousin who was to be like my brother, and forgetting, too, that
Aleck's pleasant ways had won upon the old man during the past few
months, so that he had gained quite an established place in his
affections.

These and countless other, but similar thoughts, chased each other
t