“No, you don’t; at least not quite,” replied the boy, who had now recovered control of his voice. “You see it’s this way. You and I are _twins_. You’re some years older than I am, of course, but we’ve always been twins just the same.” “Yes, I understand all that, and feel it.” “No, not all,” persisted the younger boy. “You see I’ve got all the health there is between us, and it isn’t fair. If you should--well, if anything should happen to you, I’d never forgive myself for not finding out some way of dividing health with you--” “But, my dear brother--” broke in Ed. “Don’t interrupt me, now,” said Phil, almost hysterically, “because I must tell you this so that you will understand. When we made up this scheme and you fellows chose me captain, I got to thinking how much depended on me. There was the cargo, representing other people’s money, and I was responsible for that. There was the safety of the boat and crew, and that depended upon me, too. But these weren’t the heavy things to me. There was your health! That depended on me in a fearful way. I felt that I must find out what was best for you to do and then _make_ you do it.” He laughed a little. “That sounds funny, doesn’t it? The idea of my ‘making’ you do things!--Never mind that. I went to Dr. Gale--” “What for?” asked Ed, in astonishment at this new revelation of the change in Phil’s happy-go-lucky ways. “To find out just what it would be best for you to do and not to do, in order to make you well and strong like me.” He choked a little, but presently recovered himself and continued. “I found out, and I mean to _make_ you do the things that will save you, even if you hate me for my--” He could say no more. There was no need. Ed, with his ready mind and big, generous heart, understood, though he wondered. He grasped his brother’s hand again and said, between something like sobs:-- “And I’ll obey you, Phil! Thank you, and God bless you! Be sure I could never hate you or do anything but love you, and you must always know that I understand.” Then the two turned away from each other. On their return to Vevay a few evenings later, Ed said to his mother:-- “You were right, mother; responsibility has already worked a miracle in Phil’s character.” “No, you are wrong,” said the wise mother. “It is only that you have never quite understood your brother until now. Nothing really changes character--at least nothing changes it suddenly. Circumstances do not alter the character of men or women or boys. They only call out what is already there. Responsibility and his great affection for you have not changed your brother in the least. They have only served to make you acquainted with him as you never were before.” “Be very sure I shall never misunderstand him again!” said the boy, with an earnestness not to be mistaken. [Illustration: LOADING THE FLATBOAT. “They worked like beavers getting cargo aboard.”] CHAPTER VI THE PILOT