Little Jimmie Evereux stood on the pier looking at a white sail-boat
with two seats in it, and wondering if his papa would ever come and give
him the long-looked-forward-to first ride in it. Jimmie had on his new
blue sailor suit, and it was no wonder that passers-by looked with
interest at the "blue-eyed laddie," who had waited so patiently for half
an hour. But all things come to an end at last, and Jimmie's patience
was no exception. After a long look up and down the shore, Jimmie
crossed the street and went up the walk toward the pretty cottage where
he and his mamma and papa and auntie lived all summer.
Mamma and auntie sat on the piazza, sewing and talking. Said mamma:
"Mrs. Gray has been ill, I hear. I pity her so much! She doesn't seem to
enjoy life one bit."
"Oh, I don't know," said auntie. "Perhaps she needs rest. Why not invite
her out here for a little while?"
"I'll let her ride in the new boat," said Jimmie, anxious to be good to
Mrs. Gray.
"You wouldn't the first time, would you?" said auntie.
"Y--yes," said Jimmie. "Only--well, she isn't here."
"Jimmie," said mamma, "go down to the post-office and see if there's a
letter from grandma there."
"I'm afraid papa will come."
"Well, what if he does? You won't be long."
"All right, then," said Jimmie; and away he went.
At the post-office was a letter for auntie, a paper for mamma, his own
HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, and the _Daily News_. Jimmie started home gayly;
but when he reached the gate, his joy turned to sorrow, for Mrs. Gray
sat on the piazza. Papa beckoned to Jimmie, who followed him into the
house.
"Jimmie," said papa, "will you give up your sail-boat ride to Mrs.
Gray?"
"Oh, papa!" Then, after thinking a minute: "Yes, I will."
"That's my good little boy," said papa; and in a few minutes they were
gone.
Jimmie soon forgot his disappointment in laughing over "Mr. Stubbs's
Brother," and mamma helped to console him by a little gold dollar from
grandma.