Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-05-16
BY WuLlAM BLACK

R~x
'ortnwath declared It should be.
VOW, wheE We set about the plannine
ana construction Of the nondescrint float.
,ns tnlng that was to De sery,,raple on
ootn canals and rivers, we were greatiy
'ndeDted for advice and assistance to a
Young friend of OUTS. His name was
'ack Duncombe; he was the son of q
wealthy Manchester merchant, who had
sent the lad to Harrow and Cambridge;
nefeaiter the young man came to Lon
lou 70 study for the bar, took rooms in
tne Temple, eat his dinners, and eyentu-
any got called. He was an exceedingly
lever and handy fellow, and Of the most
inoe1atigable good nature; and when he
neard OF this project Of ours, he quite
naturally assumed that it was his busi-
ness to procure for us the very vessel we
wanted. This he did, after a good deal
OF trouble, and it was agreed and under
taken that the ''Nameiess Barke," paint
60 simple white. with touch e co2oe
or gliding at all, should be ready and
waiting for us at Kingston-on-Thames
on May l, with such stores ON board as
We might choose to send down before
hand.
Then says the mistress of this house
hold:
Mr.. Duncombe has been 80 awfully
kind and obliging over this affair that
we are almost bound to ask him to 20
with us, il he can"
You know the certain result Peggy
will make a hash Of him within the first
1ozen hours"
"Oh, no, no; this time she has promised
to behave; and indeed don't think she
ever means very serious mischief"
Accordingly, We asked the budding dra-
matist to accompany us, and nothing
loath was he; for he had always psenty
Of time ON his hands and IDEAS in his
head, that wanted an abundance of leis-
ure for the proper working Of them out
And then we told him about Peggy
Rosslyn going with us.
I've heard a great deal about that
young lady," said he. ITS odd I've new
er met her at your house."
"She spent all last winter in Paris"
Mrs. Threepenny bit explains. "And since
she has come to England she has been
mostly at Bournemouth, where she has
some friends"
And is she really the adorable angel
you all make her out?" he asks, with
certain air Of indifference, not to say of
incredulity.
"She is very good girl, and very
lice GIRL" says Queen Tita, quietly; for
she doesn't like any Of her young lady
friends to be spoken of in a free-and-easy
fashion. especially hy zpung men.
Indeed the nexr time 51ck sDuncombe
.alled to see us she took occasion to drop
l little hint on the subiect-in the gent.
est possible cay. Of course He came in
radiant. He had been down to Kings
ton. The "Nameless Barge" was nearing
10
at the amount of accommodation on
board, seeing that she had to be con.
structed SO as to enter canal locks and
pass under bridges; nay, he was conf.
lent Of her sea-gOing qualities, too, when
we should have to face the wide waters
II the Severn channel. According to him,
the project no longer looked merely hope
full; its success was assured. Our wan
derings were to be purely pastoral and
peaceful; the Thames. the Severn, the
Kennel, the Avon, were to reveal to us
their most secret haunts. He promised
us that on some still evening-some warm
and golden evening-perhaps dying slow
y into dusk, and then reawakening into
the splendOr and magic of a moonlight
might've should find ourselves moored
by a meadow-side, in the dim solitudes
Of the Forest of Arden.
CHAPTER II.
There's my dear! There's my pretty
,nev' cries Queen Titania, as we drive
up to Waterloo Station; forthwith one
catches sight Of a tall young lady. bright
eyed and smiling, coming quickly toward
the cab; the next instant the two friends
are together on the platform, kissing each
other in the wasteful and foolish fashion
peculiar to women.
NO, Peggy says Queen Tita, grave
~; "yop needn't look round. He isn't
hora"
"Oh," says Peggy, with reproachful
eyes, "as if wanted any body but you"
Our start, after all, was rather a hap
hazard affair, because some OF our ar
rangements had broken down at the last
.loment For one thing, the factotum
Of steward provided by Jack Duncombe
proved to be much too astute a person for
simple folk like US. Doubtless he knew
a great deal more about the Thames and
about houseboats than we did; but when
it came to innumerable conditions and
half-hinted stipulations. we had to point
out to him, gently but firmly, that we did
rot at all look upon his going with us in
the light of an obligation. And then says
Mrs. Threepenny-bit:
Where do we ever get courtesy and
kindness and goodwill except in the
West Highlands? If were you l would
send right away for Murdoch"
"A Highland steward on the Thames"
"At all events he will be good-natared,
and obliging and pleasant mannered.'
1t was there and then resolved to send
for Murdoch Maclean Of TObermOry, in
the island Of Null, who came-sadly l'e-
wildered by the size and roar Of London;
and was at once sent on to Kingston
Thither also Jack Duncombe had gone
down: for there was some little trouble
| about getting a man and horse to tow US
I'D to OxfOrd-where more permanent
| ARRANGEMENTS were to be made. Thus it
was that we three set forth by ourselves.
As the train slowed into Kingston Sta
| ton we perceived a young gentleman Gag
cry scanning the carriages. He was
| straight -limbed. slimly built young fea'
ow. OF pale complexion, with good fea-
ares. intelligent gray eyes, chestnut
ruu nair, and a small brown mustache.
| .Ic wore blue jacket, white ducks, and
| .aciti:g shoes.
"i'cggy." said the elder of the two
| v1n,s II. as they stepped out and on to the
| iatiurm, ''let me introduce to you Mr..
| JIucombe-NIiss Rosslyn."
TIE quick look of surprise that appear
| i IN the young mans face! Had our ia
| liar speaking about Peggy deceived
| i'm? Perhaps he was not prepared to
| nj :his American young lady 80 distin-
| ;uiShed looking. and so calm and self
! assessed, to say nothing Of the observ-
| ut. direct glance o: her clear, shining
| yes. Miss Peggy bowed cOmplacently
| M not unk:ndly; and the young man,
1 covering little from his embarrass-
| nent, turned to his hostess and explained