sailor so long that I've picked up some sailor words. But you'll stay, Mr. Roland?'

'He will, Aunt Cassie, and I'll settle about the traps,' said quick-witted Mistress Katie, nodding her head at Roland.

Now, among Bryan's abandoned possessions, which Kate kept so carefully, were some clothes of Robbie's, which were to have been altered to fit Bryan. However, Captain Mayne had rejected them, and had got new clothes for the boy. Rob was a big fellow for his age, and Roland was wonderfully thin; Katie thought he might be able to wear them. She ran up-stairs as soon as dinner was over, got out these garments, and selected the best of them,-a decent grey tweed suit. Then she looked up four or five shirts, also belonging to one of the elder boys, and a comb and brush which Bryan had left behind. These she packed up in an old carpet bag in which she had brought from home some treasures remembered only at the last minute, and, carrying it down to the room which the maid was getting ready for the visitor, she said:

"Mr. Roland's luggage, Ellen,' and sped away to conceal a smile. She went to the drawing-room and said gravely to her cousin :

'Your traps are in your room, Roland; will you come and see if they are all right?'

Roland stared, but followed her obediently. She explained in a whisper, and left him to change his dress; and it must be confessed that, shabby as Rob's outgrown suit was, poor Roland looked better in it than in his tattered sailor's jacket.

'That child's a trump,' muttered he. I'll do what she asks me, if it's only to please her.'

But it was some time before the poor fellow was able to

go to Valehead; for he became very ill, and Katie and Mrs. Mayne had an anxious time of it. He was very gentle and docile, to Katie's great surprise, for she remembered him in old days when he had been quite the reverse. But he had known what it was to be ill, and to have no one to care for him. And the very day after he went to Valehead, Bryan came home.

CHAPTER VIII.

She stood still, for the simple reason that she could not move; but if she could not, Bryan could. Out of the house, down the walk, over the bed of tall heliotropes he came, like a flash of lightning, and in a moment the twins. were squeezed up in the peculiar embrace which they always indulged in on great occasions. Both were speechless at first, but Katie's grasp grew so convulsive that the boy was startled.

'Why, Katie! O my darling, dear, dearest own Katie, what are you shaking for? Sit down, dear,-here on the walk,—that's right; now wait till I give you a drink,'

Katie

He seized the watering-pot, and actually contrived to give her a few drops without spilling much. gasped, and recovered her powers of speech.

'I'm too happy,' she said. 'I didn't know how much joy could hurt one. Let me look at you; sit down here. Yes, it is my very own Bryan again!'

Why, whose Bryan did you expect me to be?' said the boy, with his happy laugh.

"You might have been changed, but you are not. Now that fear is dead and buried for ever. O Bryan, have you longed for me?'

'Haven't I just!' cried Bryan. My dear, I've felt just as one leg of a pair of scissors would if they had to be always open!

Then they began to compare experiences; and when, an hour later, the Captain came out in search of them, there they were still, side by side on the gravelled walk, both tongues going nineteen to the dozen,' as the Captain remarked.

'Hallo, my pretty!' he exclaimed, stooping over the girl, and lifting her in his arms as if she had been a baby. Here you are! And I've brought you back

Master Bryan, none the worse for his trip, haven't I? And, Katie, your aunt has been telling me what a comfort you are to her; God bless you for it, my dear! I have dreaded for many a long day that my old lady would fret herself to death when I was obliged to leave her in England, but, thanks to you, she looks as ship-shape as ever I saw her. And only look at the garden, as neat as a yacht's rigging, and as gay as a man-of-war dressed in her flags! Well, it is pleasant to find things like this. Come in to tea, you two monkeys, and don't stand looking at each other as if you wanted nothing else, because I can tell you you'll find your appetite presently, and by that time I shall have eaten up everything there is in the house.' And what do you think that delightful Captain did the next day? He put money into Bryan's hand, and bid him take Katie and go home to show his father and mother what a sailor was like.'

Bryan was delighted, but Katie looked doubtful.

I don't know,' she said; 'you see we shall have to come away again, Bryan.'

'Don't think of that till it comes. It's no good making miseries for ourselves. Here we are, well and jolly, with

a whole fortnight to spend at looks, and if mother is fretting.

not of saying good-bye again.'

home, to see how father

Let us think of that, and

'I'll try,' said Katie meekly; but indeed, Bryan, saying good-bye is very bad.'

'Would you rather not go?' asked Bryan.

Oh, not go and see mother!' cried Katie, opening her eyes wide.

Well, there now, you see you do wish to go after all. Katie, you're--ah! what's the word ?-mortgaged? nomorbid ?—yes, you're morbid, my dear.'

F