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and why are they invariably black sheep? as Miss Sewell says in one of her dear old novels. That’s what I have often wondered in my own mind. Now if we could all be born without a relation in the world, what a mercy it would be! Don't you think so?”

Lady May had a little habit of suddenly bringing you up with a sharp turn of “Don’t you think so?” just as your attention was beginning to wander and you were getting lulled into forgetfulness by her easy conversational ambling.

“Well, I don’t know. I am not sure that I quite catch your thought,” said the good captain, conscientiously puzzling it out. “Would you call husbands and wives relations, for instance?”

“Oh, by no manner of means! I would not live a day with my husband, if he was a relation. He’s very fond of Arthur, too, and will be overjoyed when he hears that I have had some one to look after me. It was splendid the way I caught the boy and tied him to my apron-strings for the voyage. I met him one day in Brisbane; so I said at once, ‘Now I’ve got you, and I don’t mean to let you go. Here I am wandering about alone and unprotected, with nobody but Smithson to speak a word to. So you will please come along and take my tickets