waving a newspaper over his head.

'Here's your Evening Tattler! Latest Edition! Awful murder! Bank
clerk absconded! Powder-mill explosion, and great strike of the Latin
School boys!' roared Ted, going to meet his cousin with the graceful
gait of a young giraffe.

'The Commodore is in, and will cut his cable and run before the wind
as soon as he can get off,' called Demi, with 'a nice derangement of
nautical epitaphs', as he came up smiling over his good news.

Everyone talked together for a moment, and the paper passed from hand
to hand that each eye might rest on the pleasant fact that the
Brenda, from Hamburg, was safe in port.

'He'll come lurching out by tomorrow with his usual collection of
marine monsters and lively yarns. I saw him, jolly and tarry and
brown as a coffee-berry. Had a good run, and hopes to be second mate,
as the other chap is laid up with a broken leg,' added Demi.

'Wish I had the setting of it,' said Nan to herself, with a
professional twist of her hand.

'How's Franz?' asked Mrs Jo.

'He's going to be married! There's news for you. The first of the
flock, Aunty, so say good-bye to him. Her name is Ludmilla Heldegard
Blumenthal; good family, well-off, pretty, and of course an angel.
The dear old boy wants Uncle's consent, and then he will settle down
to be a happy and an honest burgher. Long life to him!'