This suited the youngster perfectly, and it ceased crying and began to look about with great interest. It actually smiled into the young man's face, and taking hold of his mustache began to use it as a doorbell. "This is capital," said Lodloe; "we are chums already." And as he strode he whistled, talked baby-talk, and snapped his fingers in the face of the admiring youngster, who slapped at him, and laughed, and did its best to kick off the bosom of his shirt. III MATTHEW VASSAR In the course of this sociable promenade the steamboat stopped at a small town, and it had scarcely started again when the baby gave a squirm which nearly threw it out of its bearer's arms. At the same instant he heard quick steps behind him, and, turning, he beheld the mother of the child. At the sight his heart fell. Gone were his plans, his hopes, his little chum. The young woman was flushed and panting. "Upon my word!" was all she could say as she clasped the child, whose little arms stretched out towards her. She seated herself upon the nearest bench. In a few moments she looked from her baby to Lodloe; she had not quite recovered her breath, and her face was flushed, but in her eyes and on her mouth and dimpled cheeks there was an expression of intense delight mingled with amusement. "Will you tell me, sir," she said, "how long you have been carrying this baby about? And did you have to take care of it?" Lodloe did not feel in a very good humor. By not imposing upon him, as he thought she had done, she had deceived and disappointed him. "Of course I took care of it," he said, "as you left it in my charge; and it gave me a lot of trouble, I assure you. For a time it kicked up a dreadful row. I had the advice of professionals, but I did all the work myself." "I am very sorry," she said, "but it does seem extremely funny that it should have happened so. What did you think had become of me?" "I supposed you had gone off to whatever place you wanted to go to," said Lodloe. She looked at him in amazement. "Do you mean to say," she exclaimed, "that you thought I wanted to get rid of my baby, and to palm him off on you--an utter stranger?" "That is exactly what I thought," he answered. "Of course, people who want to get rid of babies don't palm them off on friends and acquaintances. I am very sorry if I misjudged you, but I think you will admit that, under the circumstances, my supposition was a very natural one." "Tell me one more thing," she said; "what did you intend to do with this child?" "I intended to bring it up as my own," said Lodloe; "I had already formed plans for its education." The lady looked at him in speechless amazement. If she had known him she would have burst out laughing.