It would be like having a big dog with one,
only much jollier."
"Yes," his mother said smiling; "and I shouldn't be surprised if you
wanted to throw sticks into the water for her to fetch them out, and to
be taking her out for a night's fishing, and be constantly bringing her
home splashed with that nasty red mud from head to foot. You would be a
nice playmate for a little girl, Jim. Perhaps it is that special
advantage that the sergeant had in his mind's eye, when he was so
anxious to put her with me."
James laughed.
"I would see that she didn't come to any harm, anyhow, you know; and,
after all, I suppose it was my picking her out of the sea that had
something to do with his first thinking of putting her with you."
"I suppose it had, Jim," she said more seriously. "But what do you
think, my boy? You know there are disadvantages in it. There will be a
good deal of talk about my taking this showman's grandchild, and some
of the farmers' wives won't like it."
"Then let them dislike it," James said indignantly. "The child is as
good as their daughters, any day. Why, I noticed her in church looking
like a little lady. There was not a child there to compare to her."
"Yes, I have noticed her myself," Mrs.
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