Part 4 (2/2)

”You had better see it for yourself,” he said crossly and turned away

He felt so wretched that really he would have liked to go to sea

He sighed again,--and looked back at Belinda Why, her eyes were open!

He hurried over to her, pinching with great energy his arm as he went, in order to make himself tearful, and thus, if possible, appear more miserable than he already did The tears did coot to Belinda she closed her eyes once more

”The sunset is indeed perfect,” she said, ”I have been watching it till er”

”I look just as if I had a cold in my head You can see that for yourself, can't you?” he asked, hoping that this question would induce her to glance at him and observe his tears

”Why, no,” she answered, ”I can't because my eyes are closed But if you say so, I suppose you must be correct”

”Belinda, I love you,” said he

”Thank you very much,” answered she ”Isn't it extraordinary weather for this time of the year? I can hardly believe that we are in the middle of summer”

Poor Jack left in despair, and this time he whistled a funeral march

But like a true-hearted sailor, he resolved to try again So the next day he said to her:

”Belinda, I' to have heavy weather, there are so ht and you will see for yourself”

”I would rather not,” she said, keeping her eyes tightly closed ”I don't like seeing clouds; it depresses ht _now_,” he said to her later, ”without being afraid of seeing the clouds They have all cleared away and it is blue again”

”Then I can enjoy my afternoon nap,” she remarked simply, ”without fear of thunder”

And on this occasion the poor curly-headed Sailor felt too ; he went away in dumb despair!

It was just about this tiht by a lady as a present for her little God-daughter

”But the color of the doll's dress has become faded,” said the lady

”She must have a new one before I take her”

”That can easily be arranged in a day,” said the owner of the shop

”Very well,” answered the lady, ”then I will buy her You need not send her I will bring my little friend withyour shop She will like to carry her new doll through the streets”

Next ht back to the shop after having been absent since the previous afternoon, the Sailor-Lad was struck by so very familiar about the appearance of her new blue muslin dress At first he could not think why Then he understood; the muslin was--so it seemed to him--of exactly the same pattern and exactly the same color as Belinda's dress

As he realized this a sudden thought struck him, upon which he acted without delay