interest of his story? Will you permit your children to make
impertinent remarks to every one aboard ship; to pick up sailors'
slang and use it at the dining-table--in short, to make themselves
obnoxiously clever at all times, in order that Mr. Harley's critics
may say that his book fairly scintillates with wit, and gives
gratifying evidence that 'the rising young author' has made a deep
and careful analysis of the juvenile heart?"

"Mr. Harley is too much of a gentleman, Marguerite, to place me and
my children in a false or ridiculous light," returned Mrs. Corwin,
severely. "And even if he were not a gentleman, he is too true a
realist to make me do anything which in the nature of things I should
not do--which disposes of your entirely uncalled-for remark about the
captain and myself. As for the children, Tommie would not repeat
sailors' lingo at the table under any circumstances, and Jennie will
not make herself obnoxiously clever at any time, because she has been
brought up too carefully to fail to respect her elders. Both she and
Tommie understand themselves thoroughly; and when Mr. Harley
understands them, which he cannot fail to do after a short
acquaintance, he will draw them as they are; and if previous to his
complete understanding of their peculiarities he introduces into his
story something foreign to their natures and obnoxious to me, their
mother, I have no doubt he will correct his error when he comes to
read the proofs of his story and sees his mistake."

"You have great confidence in Stuart Harley," retorted Miss Andrews,
gazing out of the window with a pensive cast of countenance.

"Haven't you?" asked Mrs. Corwin, quickly.