of the moment he nearly said so.

"Betty," said Mrs. Green, in a voice to which nervousness had imparted
almost the correct note--"Betty, this is your brother Jack!"

Mr. Letts rose sheepishly, and then to his great amazement a pair of
strong young arms were flung round his neck, and a pair of warm lips--
after but slight trouble--found his. Then and there Mr. Letts's mind was
made up.

[Illustration: "Then and there Mr. Letts's mind was made up.]

"Oh, Jack!" said Miss Foster, and began to cry softly.

"Oh, Jack!" said Mrs. Green, and, moved by thoughts, perhaps, of what
might have been, began to cry too.

"There, there!" said Mr. Letts.

He drew Miss Foster to the seat, and, sitting between them, sat with an
arm round each. There was nothing in sight but a sail or two in the far
distance, and he allowed Miss Foster's head to lie upon his shoulder
undisturbed. An only child, and an orphan, he felt for the first time
the blessing of a sister's love.

"Why didn't you come home before?" murmured the girl.

Mr. Letts started and squinted reproachfully at the top of her hat. Then
he turned and looked at Mrs. Green in search of the required information.
"He was shipwrecked," said Mrs. Green.