"That's so," said Kenneth; "and think how long it will be, girls, before
you have the pleasure of meeting this particular Captain Kidd in any
society. I tell you, I envy you. You're going to have the time of your
life in Paris, and I wish to goodness I could go along with you."

"Oh, do, Kenneth," cried Patty; "we'd have just the best time ever!
Can't you give up college and put in a lot of study over there?"

"No, indeed, I can't; I'm only just wishing I could. There's no harm in
wishing, you know. But if you'll stay until next summer, perhaps I'll
come over and see you during vacation, and then we can all come home
together."

"That would be fine," said Elise, "and we're just as likely to stay
until summer as not. But then, on the other hand, we're just as likely
to come home as soon as we get there. You never can tell what those
absurd parents of mine are going to do."

Meantime a strange-looking figure was walking across the Upper Deck
toward the group that surrounded Patty. It was impossible not to
recognise the character, which was meant to be a representation of Noah.
But it was the well-known Noah of the children's Noah's ark, and the
straight-up-and-down, tightly fitting brown garment, with yellow buttons
down the front, was exactly like the patriarch as shown in the wooden
toys. A flat, broad-brimmed hat sat squarely on his head, and as he held
his arms straight down at his side, and as his cheeks bore little round
daubs of red paint, Mr. Hepworth was exactly like a gigantic specimen of
the nursery Noah.