"No-o, Dottie, I never did," her sister agreed slowly. "'Nosmo' sounds kind of funny, doesn't it? I--I never heard of a boy called that." "Well, Tess Kenway!" cried her little sister indignantly, "isn't that just what we want? A boy's name that hasn't ever been used on a boy before?" "That's so, Dottie," agreed the more cautious Tess. "That _is_ so. No boy has had it and spoiled it by being bad." Tess' opinion of the genus boy was governed largely by the attitude Ruth seemed to hold toward all boyhood. "It's brand new," declared Dot, christening the sailor-baby on the spot, and without bell, book, or candle. "Nosmo Kenway. Isn't that nice? He's so cute, too!" and she seized the new doll and pressed her red lips to the sailor-boy's highly flushed cheek. "Nosmo Kenway," murmured Tess. "Oughtn't he to have a middle name?" "Oh, well," said Dot. "We can give him that afterward--if we find a good one. But middle names don't really count, after all." The merry party of automobilists ran out as far as Mr. Bob Buckham's--the strawberry man, as they called him--a very good friend of theirs. Mrs. Buckham was confined to her chair and the Corner House girls always took her flowers or something nice when they called at the farm-house. The Kenways and Neale went in to see the invalid for a minute, leaving Cecile and Luke Shepard alone in the car. The keen-eyed girl suddenly leaned forward and tapped her brother on the arm. "Hul-lo!" he said, waking from a day-dream. "Penny for your thoughts, Luke?" she suggested. "Worth more than that, Sis." "I know. They were about Ruth Kenway," and Cecile laughed, although her eyes were anxious. "Witch!" exclaimed Luke, flushing a little. "Beware, young man!" his sister said, shaking an admonitory finger. "Beware of the dog?" queried Luke with a smile. "Just so, Boy. There is a dog. A big one in the path." "Why, Sis, I don't believe Ruth Kenway has ever even _thought_ of a boy--" "As you are thinking of her?" his sister broke in softly. "No. I think she is perfectly 'heart whole and fancy free.' And so ought you to be, Luke." "Well, she's such a sweet girl," he declared, his eyes shining. "She certainly is." "Then what have you against my--my liking her?" "There is nothing I'd like better in this world, Luke," his sister declared earnestly, "than to see you happy in the friendship of such a girl as Ruth." "Then--" "Remember Neighbor," Cecile said, earnestly. "Oh, bother Neighbor!" muttered Luke. "No. You would not like to see him bothered. And he is a very good friend of yours. He can and will help you get a start in the world after you have finished at college. His aid may mean ten years' advantage to you." "Do you suppose I care what Neighbor does with his money?" demanded Luke, hotly.