“Not exactly that, Mr. Belgrave,” replied Mr. Fobbington, looking intently at the floor of the piazza as though he were in doubt whether it was advisable to explain his position. “Money is no object to me, as I have already hinted. But I am going to be frank with you, my friend, though you may laugh at me for it.” “If you say anything that is funny I shall be apt to laugh, but not otherwise.” “Whether you laugh or not I shall tell you what is in my mind; for I must say, candidly, that I have a purpose in view,” continued the yachtsman, his brow knitting as though he was engaged in doing some very heavy thinking at that moment. “I certainly do not wish you to reveal your private affairs to me.” “But I shall do so none the less, for I begin to believe that we shall yet be strong friends. My case is like that of a lobster: I have a lady in my head.” “Which is quite as proper in your case as in that of the lobster,” replied Louis, refraining from even a smile that might hurt the feelings of his new friend. “She is the daughter of Sir William Lambold; and Ethel thinks her life of me. I have received a letter from her since I came to America,” Mr. Fobbington proceeded, drawing an envelope from his pocket, and pressing it to his lips. “She says she cannot endure the separation for three long years. That is the reason I have changed my plans.” “I should say that was reason enough,” added Louis very seriously. “I see, Mr. Belgrave; you are in love yourself!” exclaimed the owner of the Oxford. “You can understand me.” “I can understand you, though not for the reason you suggest,” answered Louis, laughing heartily, and with a blush on his handsome face. “Perhaps you may not believe it, but I am only sixteen years old, though I am rather large for my age.” “I should have said you were twenty, at least; but you might be in love for all that.” “Hardly, at sixteen,” said Louis, shaking his head. “Boys in the States are frightfully precocious; and some of them are married at that age.” “Not one in a million; and I am not inclined to take even the first steps at that age. Then you are going back to England by a steamer, Mr. Fobbington, in order to meet the lady the sooner,” suggested Louis. “Not a bit of it. I should be the laughing-stock of all my friends if I did that, and backed out of my journey around the world. No; I shall get rid of the Oxford, go by rail to San Francisco, and then by steamer to Yokohama. In that way I shall be at home in less than six months, and my friends cannot ridicule me.” The embryo yachtsman thought they might ridicule him; but he began to see that his agreeable companion had an axe to grind, and thought it best to be a little more reserved. “You will surely save time, though you will not have the pleasure of yachting in strange climes,” added Louis indifferently. “I have an idea that I shall go around the world in my yacht when I have one. I would not miss the South Sea Islands in any event.”