Lionel" than at that moment. In less than ten minutes he was cleaning his gun in the back garret. The girls were slower in expressing their opinion. They looked at one another, and then at Lion, as if not quite comprehending. "Over the sea," cried Carrie; "to be tossed up and down, and lay in one of those queer little berths for ever so long. And we must leave Nattie, and little Molly, and our hunchback, and school-dear, dear. I don't know as I want to, Lion." Lion thought of the scourge, consumption, that had laid low so many members of his mother's family, and decided as he saw the lustrous eyes and vivid color, that his will was the best. "Think of the pine apples, Cad, the oranges, whole groves of them and trees full, growing right by one's door! Think of the luscious banannas, the great red pomegranates. Think of the towering trees. 66 Land of the jaguar, parrot, and palm, 'Think of the lemon-groves and the cactus flowers." "And pine-apples really do grow there where you can see them?" cried Lucy. "I should like to see pine-apples growing." "So you shall, you dear, ignorant child," said Lionel, who overlooked the fact that Lucy was seventeen, so small and slight she was. "But dear me, the new dresses we must have!" exclaimed Carrie, her little face taking on a look of vast importance." "Dresses," said Lionel, smiling behind his paper; "the first thought! Can't you make do what you already have?" Carrie burst into a sharp, womanish laugh. "Oh! If you insist upon our going," she said, "you must provide us with every thing we need. My blue silk will do, but then I want another for change, and plenty of cool, handsome dresses. And there's Lucy-we must get her out of the way of wearing black, as if she was in mourning all the time. She will want, let me see a new "Stop, Carrie; talk that over among yourselves," said Lionel, with a little impatience; "will a hundred dollars do? Don't bore me, please, about dresses." 66 A hundred dollars! only think, Lucy, a hundred dollars! why, yes, plenty, and thank you. We'll have some to give away, too," she whispered aside to her cousin; "won't we make our poor little hunchback happy? But we can't go shopping alone, you know." "The shopmen might easily cheat us," laughed Lucy. "I wonder if Mrs. Littlejohn would chaperon us; she is always so kind and willing." "We might call and see. Aunty," cried Carrie, as the woman came in for the tray, "have you heard the news? We're all going to the West Indies; only think! where you were born." The woman shook her turban and felt in her pocket for her glasses which she always put on as she was inclined to talk, as others do who intend to read. "Laws, chile!" she cried, still fumbling, "yer gwine to leave ole aunty in dis yer great house all alone?" Carrie was sobered in an instant, and ten minutes after she was hanging on Lionel's arm, imploring that old aunty might not be left behind. "What in the world are you begging me in that manner for, child? didn't I intend to take aunty from the very first, to the land of her birth? Leave old aunty here alone! I'm incapable of such deep ingratitude." "O, Lion! you are the most delightful man in the whole world!" "I dare say I am just at present," said Lionel, laughing. "No, always, and always will be, you dear darling brother, you!" " CHAPTER II. ETTA M'WHIRT. For what is life? At best, a brief delight, A sun, scarce brightening, ere it sinks to night; Every human being is born to influence some other human being." 1 RS. LITTLEJOHN'S snug sittingroom was not a whit altered. The same vine-pattern in the green carpet, the cactus wall-paper, the bamboo chairs, the flowers in the window-all cool, green, and summer-like, though the thermometer was down among the twenties outside. It was quite deserted when the two girls, Carrie and Lucy, were ushered in, but presently the old - general entered, his long, white hair more like a |