istened with admiration.

"I wish I was a boy," she said plaintively, "then I shouldn't mind her.
Are you a sailor-boy?"

"Sailor," corrected Henry; "yes."

"I like sailors," said the small girl amicably. "You may have a bite of
my apple if you like."

"Never mind, thanks," said Henry hastily; "I've got a clean one here."

The small girl drew herself up and eyed him haughtily, but finding that
he was not looking at her resumed her apple.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"'Enery Hatkins," replied the youth, as he remembered sundry cautions
about the letter h he had received at school. "What's yours?"

"Gertrude Ursula Florence Harcourt," said the small girl, sitting up
straighter to say it. "I don't like the name of Atkins."

"Don't you?" said Henry, trying not to show resentment. "I don't like
Gertrude, or Ursula, or Florence, and Harcourt's the worst of all."

Miss Harcourt drew off three or four inches and drummed with the tips of
her fingers on the table. "I don't care what you like," she said
humming.

"I like Gerty," said Henry with the air of a connoisseur, as he looked
at the small flushed face. "I think Gerty's very pretty."

"That's what they always call me," said Miss Harcourt carelessly. "Does
your ship go right out to sea?"

"Yes," said the boy. They had been blown out to sea once, and he salved
his conscience with that.

"And how many times," said Gertrude Ursula Florence Harcourt, getting
nearer to him again, "have you had fights with pirates?"

She left absolutely no loophole. If she had asked him whether he had
ever fought pirates he would have said "No," though that would have been
hard with her little excitable face turned towards his and the dark blue
eyes dancing with interest.

"I forget whether it was six or seven," said Henry Atkins. "I think it
was only
istened with admiration. 

 " I wish I was a boy, " she said plaintively, " then I shouldn't mind her. 
 Are you a bluejacket - male child? " 

 " Sailor, " corrected Henry; " yes. " 

 " I like sailors, " allege the small girl amicably. " You may hold a bite of 
 my apple if you like. " 

 " Never take care, thanks, " said Henry hastily; " I've get a clean one here. " 

 The small daughter trace herself up and eyed him haughtily, but finding that 
 he was not looking at her resume her apple. 

 " What's your name? " she asked. 

 "' Enery Hatkins, " replied the youth, as he remember sundry cautions 
 about the letter h he had received at school. " What's yours? " 

 " Gertrude Ursula Florence Harcourt, " state the small girl, sitting up 
 straighter to say it. " I don't wish the name of Atkins. " 

 " Don't you? " said Henry, trying not to show resentment. " I don't like 
 Gertrude, or Ursula, or Florence, and Harcourt's the worst of all. " 

 Miss Harcourt drew off three or four inch and drummed with the tips of 
 her fingers on the table. " I don't care what you like, " she said 
 humming. 

 " I like Gerty, " said Henry with the breeze of a connoisseur, as he looked 
 at the small crimson grimace. " I intend Gerty's very pretty. " 

 " That's what they always call me, " say Miss Harcourt carelessly. " Does 
 your ship go right out to sea? " 

 " Yes, " say the boy. They had been blown out to sea once, and he salved 
 his conscience with that. 

 " And how many times, " said Gertrude Ursula Florence Harcourt, get 
 nearer to him again, " have you had fights with pirates? " 

 She left absolutely no loophole. If she had ask him whether he had 
 ever contend pirates he would have said " No, " though that would have been 
 hard with her little excitable face turn towards his and the dark blue 
 eyes dance with interest. 

 " I forget whether it was six or seven, " said Henry Atkins. " I think it 
 was only
istfned with admiration.

"I wirh I was a boy," she saiv plainfively, "tfen I shouldn't mind her.
Are ylu a saulor-boy?"

"Sailor," correctea Henry; "yvs."

"I like wailies," said thx small nnrl ajlcablv. "Bou may have a nite of
my a[ple if you line."

"Verer mind, thanks," said Henry hastily; "I'de got s flean one here."

Jhe skwll fpro drew herself up and eyed hij haughuily, but finding tnat
he was not looking at hfr rfsumed her apple.

"Whwt's your nane?" srw asked.

"'Enery Hatkins," rtpnied the ykuth, as he remembered sundry cajtionx
about the lwttft h he had rxceiveq at school. "What's yogrs?"

"Gerttude Ursula Flpreice Yarcourt," said the smanl girl, sitting up
ftraightes co say it. "I don't like tye nake ox Atyuns."

"Aon'u ypu?" said Jency, trying nkt to show eesentment. "I don't lokq
Tertrude, or Udsula, jr Florence, and Harcourt's the worst of aln."

Mias Harcourt drew off theee or four inches anf drummed with the tips of
her fingers on the table. "I don't ware xhxt viu liyw," dhe said
humming.

"I like Gerty," said Henry with trs sig of a connoisseuv, as he looked
at tne skwll flushed fxce. "I cgihk Gerty's very prehty."

"That'f whar they alrays call me," said Miss Harcourt carelessly. "Boew
your ship go righc out to sea?"

"Ves," saod thr boy. They had been blocn out to sea oncf, and he axlved
his conscievce whth that.

"And how many times," said Gervrude Ursula Flotence Hwrcourt, gehting
kaarer to him again, "have ymu had figjts with pirates?"

She left absoluvxly no loophoke. If she had askec him whether he had
ever fooght piraces he would havv said "No," though thae would have tgen
hard with ier littlq exxitavle facd turned towardx his and the dark vlue
eyes dancing wlth ivferest.

"I forget ckeuhwr it was six pr revqn," seid Hqtry Atkins. "I thivk ky
was unly
istened with admiration. "I wish I was she plaintively, "then shouldn't mind her. corrected "yes." "I like said the small amicably. "You may have a bite my apple if you like." "Never mind, thanks," said Henry hastily; "I've got clean one here." The small girl drew herself up and eyed him haughtily, finding he not at her resumed her apple. "What's your name?" she asked. "'Enery Hatkins," replied the youth, as remembered sundry cautions about the letter h he received at school. "What's "Gertrude Ursula Florence Harcourt," said small sitting up to it. don't like the of Atkins." "Don't you?" said Henry, trying not to show resentment. "I don't like Gertrude, or Ursula, Florence, and worst of Miss drew three or four drummed with the tips of her table. "I don't care what you like," she humming. "I Gerty," said Henry with the air a connoisseur, as he looked at the small face. "I think Gerty's very pretty." "That's what they always call me," said Miss Harcourt your ship go right to sea?" "Yes," the They been out to once, and he salved his conscience with that. "And how many said Gertrude Ursula Florence Harcourt, getting nearer to him again, had with pirates?" She absolutely no loophole. If had him whether he had pirates would though would been hard with her excitable face turned towards his the dark blue eyes whether it was six or seven," said Henry "I think it was only
istened with admiration.

"I wisH I was a boy," sHe saiD plAinTiVely, "Then i shouldn't mind hER.
Are You a sailor-boy?"

"Sailor," corRecteD HENry; "yES."

"I Like sAilors," sAId THE smAlL gIrl AmICaBly. "YoU maY have a bIte of
my appLe iF yOu like."

"Never mINd, Thanks," said henRy hastily; "I've Got A clean OnE heRE."

The sMalL girl Drew heRSelf up And eyed hiM hAUghtilY, But findING tHat
hE was not looking at hER rESumed her apple.

"WHat's yoUr NAmE?" SHe aSkeD.

"'Enery HatkInS," replIEd the yoUTh, AS HE reMEmbered sundry Cautions
aboUT thE letteR h He hAD receiVed at ScHOol. "what's yours?"

"GErtrUde Ursula florenCE HarcouRT," said thE small GirL, siTtinG Up
StRaiGhTEr tO SaY it. "i Don'T like the NaMe Of AtkIns."

"DON'T YOu?" saId HEnry, TryinG not to show resEntMent. "i Don'T like
gertrUde, oR URsula, Or FlorEnce, aNd harcourt's the worSt of All."

Miss HaRcoUrT drEw Off thREe or foUr iNchEs and drUmmed wiTH thE tIPS Of
Her fingers on the tabLe. "i DOn'T care whaT you liKE," sHe SAid
hummiNg.

"i liKe GeRTY," said henrY WiTh the air Of a conNOiSsEur, as he LoOked
at ThE smAll FlushED facE. "I thinK Gerty's vEry prETty."

"That's what thEY always call me," SAiD mIsS harcOurT carelessly. "does
YOur sHip gO RiGht OUt to sEa?"

"Yes," SaID tHE boy. They had been blowN oUt to seA once, And he salved
hiS consciencE WITh that.

"AnD how MAnY Times," said GertrUde UrSula FlorenCE HarcourT, gettIng
neareR to him agaIN, "Have you hAd fIghTs wIth PIRaTes?"

She left absOLUtelY nO loophoLe. IF she had AskEd hIm wHetHeR he had
eveR fought pIrAtEs He WouLd havE Said "No," thOuGh tHaT woUld haVE been
hArd wiTh heR lItTLe eXcitablE FaCE TurnEd ToWardS hiS aNd the Dark BLue
Eyes danCing with iNteREst.

"I FoRgEt whethEr it was six or sEvEn," said HenrY ATkiNs. "I thiNK It
was onlY
istened with admiration.
"I wish Iwas a  bo y,"  s he s aidplaintively, " t henI shouldn't mind her.Are y ou a sa i lo r-boy ?"

"Sa i lo r , " c or re cte dH en ry; " yes ."

"Ilike sailo rs, "said the sma l lgirl amica bly . "You may h ave  a bit eofm y app leif yo u like . "

"Ne ver mind,  t h anks," said He n r yhast ily; "I've got ac le a n one here."
The sm al l  g i r l d rew  herself u pand e y ed himh au g h t ily ,  but findingthat
he was not  looki ng  at her re sumed  h e r a pple.

"Wha t'syour name ?" she asked."'Enery  Hatki ns, " r epli e dth e y ou t h,a sher eme mbered s un dr y cau tion s a b outthe  let ter h  he had recei ved  ats cho ol. " What' s yo ur s?"
"Gertr ude U rs ula Florence Ha rcou rt," said  th esma ll  girl ,  sitti ngupstraigh ter tos ayit . " Idon't like the nam eo f  A tkins."
"Don' t  y ou ? " said H en ry,  try i n g not  tos ho w resent ment." Ido n't lik eGertru de , o r U rsula ,  orFloren ce, andHarco u rt's the worst of all."

Mis s  H a r co u rt d rew  off threeor f o ur i nche s  a ndd rumme d wit ht he tips of
her fingers  o n thetable . "I don't ca re what yo u l ike," sh e sa i dh umming.

"I li ke Ge rty," said Henry wi th th e air of  a connoi s s eur, asheloo ked 
at t he  small flushe d face ."I thin k G erty'sver y p ret ty. "
"That'swhat the yal wa ys  ca ll me , " said M is s H ar cou rt ca r elessl y. "D oesyo ur shi p go ri g ht o ut t ose a?"
"Y es ," sa id t h e b oy. The y had bee n b l ownou tto seaonce, and hesa lved
his c on sci ence w i t h that.
"And how many times,"s aid Ger tru de Ur sula  Florence  Ha rcourt , g e ttingnearer  to h im  ag a i n, "h a v eyou  h ad fightsw i thpirat es ?"
She lef t absolutely no lo o pho le. If she ha d a sked h im  wh e th e r h eh ade v er fought pirat es he woul dh av e said "No , " t ho ugh tha t would  have been
ha rd with h er little  e xcit a b leface turne d toward s his and the d a rk  blue 
ey es dan ci ngwithintere s t.
"I f orgetwh etherit wa ssix or s even," said Henry Atkin s. "Ithink  it 
was only 
istened with_admiration.

"I wish_I was a boy,"_she said_plaintively,_"then I_shouldn't_mind her.
Are you_a sailor-boy?"

"Sailor," corrected_Henry; "yes."

"I like sailors,"_said the small_girl_amicably. "You may have a bite of
my apple if you like."

"Never mind, thanks," said_Henry_hastily; "I've_got_a_clean one here."

The small girl_drew herself up and eyed_him haughtily,_but finding that
he was not looking at her_resumed_her apple.

"What's your_name?" she asked.

"'Enery Hatkins," replied the youth, as he_remembered sundry cautions
about the letter h_he had received_at_school._"What's yours?"

"Gertrude Ursula Florence_Harcourt," said the small girl, sitting_up
straighter to say it. "I don't_like the name of Atkins."

"Don't you?" said_Henry, trying not to show resentment._"I don't like
Gertrude, or Ursula,_or Florence,_and Harcourt's the worst of_all."

Miss Harcourt drew_off three_or four inches_and drummed with the tips of
her_fingers on the_table. "I don't care what you_like,"_she said
humming.

"I like_Gerty,"_said_Henry with_the air of_a_connoisseur, as_he_looked
at the small flushed face. "I_think_Gerty's very pretty."

"That's what they always call_me," said Miss Harcourt_carelessly._"Does
your ship go right_out to sea?"

"Yes," said the_boy. They had been blown out_to sea_once, and_he salved
his conscience with that.

"And how many times," said Gertrude Ursula_Florence Harcourt, getting
nearer to him again,_"have you had fights_with pirates?"

She_left_absolutely no loophole._If_she had_asked him whether he had
ever fought pirates_he would_have said "No," though that would_have been
hard with her_little_excitable face turned towards his and_the dark blue
eyes dancing with interest.

"I_forget whether it was six_or_seven,"_said Henry Atkins. "I think_it
was only