Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-25
Continued from page 8

We swan for little while, and then we
heard frightened cry behind us.
"By Cad! forgot Thomas!e French cried.
So had |. We turned and raced back.
Halfway to the Lorelei we came upon him
foundering and gasping, just about all in.
French took him under one arm, under the
other, and we showed him back to the ladder
like two tugs with waterlogged barge.
There his terrified father and mother hauled
him aboard.
3My hero!" cried his mother
French and l loitered in the water 1t
SO beautiful we couldn't bear to 60 in. His
arm came stealing around me in the most
natural way possible, and he caught me to
him tight.
Mermaid! he whispered. Il Just can't
keep it to myself! love you! | love you'll
As for me, | just kissed him on his strong
brown neck.
Fancy! That was the picture that met
the eyes of Mr.. and Mrs. Bunting when they
came rushing back to pull me out. Their
eyes almost popped out of their heads
Goodness! what moment!
MY dear, when we got on deck there was
~ the most dreadful scene! Everybody
but French-talked at once, and no one
paid the least attention to what anyone else
said. Mrs Bunting wept, and the old man
used language. The two of them Joined in
calling my poor French the worst names they
could lay their tongues to,-"Ingrate! Up
start!' and so on like that. The old man
discharged French about five times in a
minute. | tried my best to explain; but |
couldn't make myself heard French took
it all in silence, looking adorably pale and
dangerous.
AS for Thomas would have died if
you could have seen him! There he stood
with his hair in his eyes, and his clothes
cllnglng to him, full to the brim with salt
water, very groggy, very dignihed, and try
ing his best to look like hero. When he got
through his muddled head what had hap
pened, he pulled me aside. He had des-
perate, foolish expression like clown.
"Erda you-you can't care about this
fellow!H he spluttered.
My dear, l can tell you about it now calm
ly enough; but at the time, with everybody
going at once, | lost my head completely
| didn't know what | was saying / found
myself murmuring slowly:
Hickory. dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock;
The clock struck one,
And down it run;
Hickory, dickory. dock!
IiSiS q iiiotdhC III ISL
there?' l asked wildly.
Thomas shrank from me as if / had the
plague. He turned to his father and mother,
who were still abusing poor French. @Stop!"
he said hurriedly. Its all right
They turned to him in amazement.
Thomas put on grand air-and him drip
ping wet, my dear! Il have given up my
pretensions to the hand of Miss Hammill,
he said. "Let French go in and win if he
cam"
"But, Thomas!" cried his father and
mother together.
"Let us say no more about it." said
Thomas. Il have changed my mind l
will explain in private"
Mr.. Bunting shrugged, and CURLY begged
French's pardon. Mrs. Bunting was more
firmly convinced than ever that her Thomas
was hero. We went below and changed
That's about all, Dear. The funniest
thing was Mrs Bunting S scared and plying
manner toward me, after Thomas had pre-
sumably made his explanations l can hear
the dear little lady saying to her friends as
she casts up her eyes, what narrow escape
for dear Thomas!"
We landed at Sparrows Point next day,
and have not seen the Buntings since. Mr.
Bunting has made it all right with French
| expect he needs him in the business. +.
T.