are building a larger boat for ourselves."

Upon the principle "Never look a gift-horse in the mouth," Jim and Leo
were not disposed to find anything amiss with the present. In the
first flush of their pride of possession they were quite jubilant.

It was shortly after this that Jim came in to dinner one day, tattooed
in a manner which would remind one of a sachem in full Indian
war-paint. There was a patch of blue low down on one cheek, a daub of
red high up on the other, a tip of chrome-yellow on the end of his
nose, and a fair share of all three upon his hands, and the sleeve of
his jacket as well.

"Why, my son!" exclaimed Mrs. Gordon, as this vision met her eyes.

"Can't help it, mother,--it won't come off. I've scrubbed and
scrubbed!" the little fellow protested, apologetically.

"Plenty of hot water and soap will prove effectual. But you must
persevere," she went on, good-naturedly. "But what is the reason of
this extraordinary decoration? Do you want to be taken for the
'missing link'?"

Mrs. Gordon was always good friends with her boys. She had a bright,
cheery way of talking to them, of entering into their plans. She
thoroughly appreciated a joke, even a practical one, when it was not
perpetrated at the expense of anybody's feelings. And the lads could
always count upon her interest and sympathy. It was not easy to impose
upon her, though. "I tell you, if a fellow tries, he is always sure to
get the worst of it!" Jim used to say.