pleased and pained her. It was only a glance, and her own eyes
were full, but through the mist of happy tears she received the
impression that Archie was about the same, that Mac had
decidedly improved, and that something was amiss with Charlie.
There was no time for observation, however, for in a moment the
shoreward rush began, and before she could grasp her traveling
bag, Jamie was clinging to her like an ecstatic young bear. She was
with difficulty released from his embrace to fall into the gentler
ones of the elder cousins, who took advantage of the general
excitement to welcome both blooming girls with affectionate
impartiality. Then the wanderers were borne ashore in a triumphal
procession, while Jamie danced rapturous jigs before them even on
the gangway.

Archie remained to help his uncle get the luggage through the
Custom House, and the others escorted the damsels home. No
sooner were they shut up in a carriage, however, than a new and
curious constraint seemed to fall upon the young people, for they
realized, all at once, that their former playmates were men and
women now. Fortunately, Jamie was quite free from this feeling of
restraint and, sitting bodkinwise between the ladies, took all sorts
of liberties with them and their belongings.

"Well, my mannikin, what do you think of us?" asked Rose, to
break an awkward pause.

"You've both grown so pretty, I can't decide which I like best.
Phebe is the biggest and brightest-looking, and I was always fond
of Phebe, but somehow you are so kind of sweet and precious, I
really think I must hug you again," and the small youth did it