And--and--" very solemnly--"I don't like to be so different." Her lip quivered as she said it.

Sitting there on the cranberry crate, hugging her dolls, she was a pathetic little figure.

Again the partners found it hard to answer.

Mr.Hamilton looked at the Captain and the latter, his fingers fidgeting with his watchchain, avoided the look.

The girl went on.
"I was thinking," she said, "how nice 'twould have been if I'd had a--a brother or somebody of my very own.