The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-01-08

got up and looked about me to see
what had caused my uncomfortably
rapid dismount there was Alec stand
ing looking at me, with his face all
twisted up in the effort to look con
cerned, when as matter of fact he
was shaking with laughter at my un.
dignifed maneuver.
F; Hurt, Jack?" he asked at length,
with exaggerated solemnity.
NO." answered shortly. ''Was it
you who frightened my horseY'-
9! suppose so, but as you're not hurt
it does not matter"
| Doesn't it? 1t only means that l
shall have pretty chase before catch
him again. That's nothing, is it?"
Willie has caught him." said Alec.
Willie Trehalion here too?''
! Yes. Oh, Jack, you did look ridicu-
lous. To see your big, numbering car
& cass roll over the horses tail was
sight for little fishes. Don't be angry,
but can't help laughing"
j "Oh, pray go on, answered loftily
and turned to take my horse from Will
lie Trehalion, who had come up while
we We're talking.
! When | saw that his face, too, wore
comically deprecating look of amuse-
ment, was just beginning to lose my
temper with them both, when the
thought of the ludicrous figure must
have presented struck me forcibly My
anger suddenly melted, and l laughed
as heartily as either Of them.
Come, Master Topp," said Willie
when we found our breath again; "bet-
1 ter to laugh even If the jokes agin
/ yourself than to wear that glum face
| you We're carrying before we came an
upset your gravity. You might have
been attending your own funeral by
the look O. you.'
Did you give Inez my message?"
asked, turning to Alec.
Yes, and very nearly fell foul Of
the Spaniard in doing it.
"What did she say?"
"She cried"
But the message. Didn't she send
me message?" asked impatiently.
No." said Alec innocently. Did
you expect onei?" And then, seeing
! my look Of disappointment, he added
1 quickly: There, Jack, won't tease
you longer. She didn't send a mes
sage, but she did better; she gave me
letter for YOU"
Now, l don't intend to tell what was
in that letter. 1t was the first one l
ever received from my sweetheart, and
it kept me happy for the rest of the
journey. Need say more?
! They waited patiently till had FIN
ished reading, and then Alec asked me
what my plans were.
Cambridge, suppose" I answered
ruefully.
/ "ParsonY' he asked, with mis-
chievous grin.
$50 my father says"
Are you quite resigned to your
fate?'
Resigned l cried impetuously.
mo, but now that I'm separated from
Inez and you don't much care"
81 am your sworn shipmate, Jack.
Don't forget that"
81 don't forget it, Alec,'' said. tax.
ing his hand.
Pardon me; think you do
"How?"
You say that we shall be sepa
rated.''
4 well, so we shall. Cambridge and
Whitby are surely far enough apart"
Pm coming with YOU"
''Alec! Do you mean it?" I cried il
delight.
Never desart a sworn shipmate
Master Topp," put in Willie Trehalion
scntentiously.
Yes, I'm coming" said Alec but
don't mean to turn parson for all that. =
wish needn't grumbled.
why need you?"
"Father's commands. What else takes
me to Cambridge"
why go to Cambridge at all? don't
mean to-"
"What?" cried. 81 thought you sale
you were coming with me-"
$50 am, but not to Cambridge"
where, then?"
4 London"
ITO London! What for? don't un
derstand you. Alec
"London is port"
"Well?"
ToFlS coAtdlu SHIPS. SHIPS 80 W sea
We go to sea. It's simple enough
Why, Jack, you don't mean to say vol
, are willing to give up our plan of sea
faring life without struggle"
NO" said, but l hadn't though
of running away to sea-"
why not? You'll never go in an.
her way if your father. is set on put
ting you into the church. Now is tn,
time to take our fortunes into our OWL
hands,"
But, Alec
. will you do it?'
, thought for a moment before an
| swered. A vision of the dull round O.