"Something _very_ bad. He said, 'He must be a fine little chap'--meaning you, Dan--'or the birds wouldn't love him.'" "Has he been all over the world, Jo?" "All over the world; and O Dan, he has seen _such_ places!" "I tell you what we will do," said Dan. "To-morrow you shall buy a couple of young bullfinches, and you shall find out some tune the Old Sailor is fond of; and I will teach the bullfinches to whistle it. Then you shall give the birds to the Old Sailor, and say they are a present from me and you." "That will be prime! He will be so pleased!" "Have you ever heard him sing, Jo?" "Yes," answered Joshua, laughing; "I have heard him sing,-- 'Which is the properest day to drink, Saturday, Sunday, Monday? Each is the properest day, I think-- Why should I name but one day? Tell me but yours, I'll mention my day, Let us but fix on some day-- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday.'" "I don't think that would do," said Dan, echoing Joshua's laugh. "Here's another," said Joshua, and he played a prelude to "Poor Tom Bowling," and sang the first verse,-- 'Here a sheer hulk lies poor Tom Bowling, The darling of our crew; No more he'll hear the tempest howling, For death has broached him too. His form was of the manliest beauty, His heart was kind and soft, Faithful below Tom did his duty, But now he's gone aloft, But now he's gone aloft.'" Joshua sang the words with much tender feeling, but Dan shook his head. "The birds would never be able to get the spirit of the song into them," he said, "and the tune is nothing without that. Never mind--we'll teach them something, and then the Old Sailor shall have them." "And I shall tell him they are a present from you alone." "No," said Dan energetically; "that would spoil it all. They are from you and me together. Can't you guess the reason why?" "I believe I can," replied Joshua, after a little consideration. "The Old Sailor likes me, and you want him to like you because of me, not because of yourself alone; you want him to like me more because of you--as I am sure he will when he knows you." "That's it. I want him to know that we love each other, and that we shall always love each other, whether we are together or separated. I want everybody who likes you, Jo, to like me." Joshua laid his hand upon Dan's, which rested on the table, and Dan placed his other hand upon Joshua's playfully. Their hands were growing to be very unlike. Dan's hand, as it grew, became more delicate, while Joshua's grew stronger and more muscular. Dan laughed another pleasant laugh as he remarked the difference between them. "That is a proper kind of hand for a hero," he said. And then, in a more serious voice, "Joshua, do you know I think we can see each other's thoughts." And so, indeed, it appeared as if they could.