"Thanks!" said Martine, "but I am going to prove that Halifax also was settled by the French. Amy laughed at me yesterday when I tried to prove my case. But listen; it was Amy herself who told me that no one had thought seriously of making a settlement here until D'Anville's fleet took refuge here after their defeat near Louisbourg. The ships were safe enough, but the men died by hundreds, and were buried on the beach. Well, after they had gone away, some sort of a petition was sent from Boston to England, asking that a settlement and fortifications be established to prevent the French from coming into Chebucto again and interfering with New England ships. The English thought this a good plan, because the Acadians at Annapolis and other places would be kept down if there was a strong town on the coast. So, you see, if it hadn't been for the French, Halifax might never have been settled. Have I proved my case?" Priscilla shook her head. She could not quite tell whether Martine was in fun or in earnest. "It seems to me that if Massachusetts men suggested the plan to England, you could just as easily say that Boston men settled Halifax." "That's just what 'Taps'--I beg his pardon--Lucian said when I explained my theory to him. But then, he can't be expected to share my feelings about the Acadians,--at least, not yet,--although on the whole he is pretty sensible, isn't he?" Priscilla found it difficult to answer this question directly, so, to conceal her embarrassment, she propounded another question. "Why do they call your brother 'Taps'?" she asked abruptly. "For no reason whatever, that I could ever see. But you know how boys insist on nicknaming one another. Mamma just hates it; and, if you notice, I always say 'Lucian.'" "'Lucian' is such a good name," said Priscilla. "Yes, and don't you think that Lucian himself is a dear?" "I like him very much," responded Priscilla, simply. She would hardly have applied Martine's term to him, but she had found Lucian helpful and entertaining during their three or four days in Halifax. "I believe," continued Martine, "that I might have told you something about Lucian before, except that I thought you might be prejudiced." "Prejudiced!" "Yes, a month ago you were much narrower-minded than you are now, and of course you and Amy had heard that Fritz Tomkins had charge of a Freshman who had been in rather bad company last year; and so if you had heard that it was Lucian before you had seen him, why, you might have had the queerest notions about him." "You have the funniest way of putting things;" and Priscilla smiled again.