was fairly possessed about the shells;" but it is to be doubted whether
she would have come so often if it had not been for Franci's admiring
glances and Rento's deeper veneration, which seldom dared to look higher
than the hem of her gown.

She would sit very demurely on the after-deck, apparently absorbed in
the shells and corals that lay spread before her; and by-and-by, it
might be, Franci, who did not suffer from shyness, would venture on
something more definite than admiring glances.

He would show her the shells, making the most of his knowledge, which
was not extensive, and calling in invention when information failed; but
he liked better to talk of himself, Franci, and on that subject there
was plenty to be said. He was a prince, he told Lena, in South America,
where he came from. This was a poor country, miserable country; but in
his own the houses were all of marble, pink marble, with mahogany
door-steps.

"Is that so?" Lena would say, raising her limpid eyes to the dark
velvety ones that were bent so softly on her.

"Oh, fine! fine!" said Franci. "Never I eat from a china dish in my
country; silver, all silver! Only the pigs eat from china. Drink wine,
eat peaches and ice-cream all days, all time. My sister wear gold
clothes, trimmed diamonds, when she do her washing. Yes! Like to go
there?" and he bent over Lena with an enchanting smile.

"Why do you tell such lies?" asked John, whom Franci had not observed,
as he was lying in one of the schooner's boats, with a monkey on either
arm. Franci's smile deepened as he turned toward the boy, swearing