“Yes,” replied Reginald, dryly, and said no more; for it is a characteristic of the awfu’ bairn to be mute where fluency is required, voluble where silence.

“I wonder why you love her so much,” said David, cunningly.  Reginald’s face, instead of brightening with the spirit of explanation, became instantly lack-luster and dough-like; for, be it known, to the everlasting discredit of human nature, that his affection and matrimonial intentions, as they were no secret, so they were the butt of satire from grown-up persons of both sexes in the house, and of various social grades; down to the very gardener, all had had a fling at him.  But soon his natural cordiality gained the better of that momentary reserve.  “Well, I’ll tell you,” said he, “because you have behaved well all day.”

David was all expectation.

“I like her because she has got red cheeks, and does whatever one asks her.”

Oh, breadth of statement!  Why was not David one of your repeaters?  He would have gone and told Lucy.  I should have liked her to know in what grand primitive colors peach-bloom and queenly courtesy strike what Mr. Tennyson is pleased to call “the deep mind of dauntless infancy.”  But David Dodd was not a reporter, and so I don’t get my way; and how few of us do! not even Mr. Reginald, whose joyous companionship with David was now blighted by a footman.  At sight of the coming plush, “There, now!” cried Reginald.  He anticipated evil, for messages from the ruling powers were nearly always adverse to his joys.  The footman came to say that his master would feel obliged if Mr. Dodd would step into his study a minute.

David went immediately.

“There, now!” squeaked Reginald, rising an octave.  “I’m never happy for two hours together.”  This was true.  He omitted to add, “Nor unhappy for one.”  The dear child sought comfort in retaliation.  He took stones and pelted the footman’s retiring calves.  His admirers, if any, will be glad to learn that this act of intelligent retribution soothed his deep mind a little.

Mr. Bazalgette had been much interested by David’s conversation the last night, and, hearing he was not with the riding-party, had a mind to chat with him.  David found him in a magnificent study, lined with books, and hung with beautiful maps that lurked in mahogany cylinders attached to the wall; and you pulled them out by inserting a brass-hooked stick into their rings, and hauling.  Mr. Bazalgette began by putting him a question about a distant port to which he had just sent out some goods.  David gave him full information.  Began, seaman-like, with the entrance to the harbor, and told him what danger his captain should look out for in running in, and how to avoid it; and from that went to the character of the natives, their tricks upon the sailors, their habits, tastes, and fancies, and, entering with intelligence into his companion’s business, gave him some very shrewd hints as to the sort of cargo that would tempt