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sitting by me； and she seems to enjoy it as much as I do。
And when the shades of evening began to gather around us； I hauled
in the gang…plank （just like a delightful old draw…bridge； Euphemia
said； although I hope for the sake of our ancestors that draw…
bridges were easier to haul in） and went to bed。
It is lucky we were tired and wanted to go to bed early； for we had
forgotten all about lamps or candles。
For the next week we were two busy and happy people。 I rose about
half…past five and made the fire；we found so much wood on the
shore； that I thought I should not have to add fuel to my
expenses；and Euphemia cooked the breakfast。 I then went to a
well belonging to a cottage near by where we had arranged for
water…privileges； and filled two buckets with delicious water and
carried them home for Euphemia's use through the day。 Then I
hurried off to catch the train； for； as there was a station near
Ginx's； I ceased to patronize the steamboat； the hours of which
were not convenient。 After a day of work and pleasurable
anticipation at the office； I hastened back to my home； generally
laden with a basket of provisions and various household
necessities。 Milk was brought to us daily from the above…mentioned
cottage by a little toddler who seemed just able to carry the small
tin bucket which held a lacteal pint。 If the urchin had been the
child of rich parents； as Euphemia sometimes observed； he would
have been in his nurse's armsbut being poor； he was scarcely
weaned before he began to carry milk around to other people。
After I reached home came supper and the delightful evening hours；
when over my pipe （I had given up cigars； as being too expensive
and inappropriate； and had taken to a tall pipe and canaster
tobacco） we talked and planned； and told each other our day's
experience。
One of our earliest subjects of discussion was the name of our
homestead。 Euphemia insisted that it should have a name。 I was
quite willing； but we found it no easy matter to select an
appropriate title。 I proposed a number of appellations intended to
suggest the character of our home。 Among these were： 〃Safe
Ashore；〃 〃Firmly Grounded；〃 and some other names of that style； but
Euphemia did not fancy any of them。 She wanted a suitable name； of
course； she said； but it must be something that would SOUND like a
house and BE like a boat。
〃Partitionville；〃 she objected to； and 〃Gangplank Terrace；〃 did not
suit her because it suggested convicts going out to work； which
naturally was unpleasant。
At last； after days of talk and cogitation； we named our house
〃Rudder Grange。〃
To be sure； it wasn't exactly a grange； but then it had such an
enormous rudder that the justice of that part of the title seemed
to over…balance any little inaccuracy in the other portion。
But we did not spend all our spare time in talking。 An hour or
two； every evening was occupied in what we called 〃fixing the
house；〃 and gradually the inside of our abode began to look like a
conventional dwelling。 We put matting on the floors and cheap but
very pretty paper on the walls。 We added now a couple of chairs；
and now a table or something for the kitchen。 Frequently；
especially of a Sunday； we had company； and our guests were always
charmed with Euphemia's cunning little meals。 The dear girl loved
good eating so much that she could scarcely fail to be a good cook。
We worked hard； and were very happy。 And thus the weeks passed on。
CHAPTER II。
TREATING OF A NOVEL STYLE OF BOARDER。
In this delightful way of living； only one thing troubled us。 We
didn't save any money。 There were so many little things that we
wanted； and so many little things that were so cheap； that I spent
pretty much all I made； and that was far from the philosophical
plan of living that I wished to follow。
We talked this matter over a great deal after we had lived in our
new home for about a month； and we came at last to the conclusion
that we would take a boarder。
We had no trouble in getting a boarder； for we had a friend； a
young man who was engaged in the flour business； who was very
anxious to come and live with us。 He had been to see us two or
three times； and had expressed himself charmed with our household
arrangements。
So we made terms with him。 The carpenter partitioned off another
room； and our boarder brought his trunk and a large red velvet arm…
chair； and took up his abode at 〃Rudder Grange。〃
We liked our boarder very much； but he had some peculiarities。 I
suppose everybody has them。 Among other things； he was very fond
of telling us what we ought to do。 He suggested more improvements
in the first three days of his sojourn with us than I had thought
of since we commenced housekeeping。 And what made the matter
worse； his suggestions were generally very good ones。 Had it been
otherwise I might have borne his remarks more complacently； but to
be continually told what you ought to do； and to know that you
ought to do it； is extremely annoying。
He was very anxious that I should take off the rudder； which was
certainly useless to a boat situated as ours was； and make an
ironing…table of it。 I persisted that the laws of symmetrical
propriety required that the rudder should remain where it wasthat
the very name of our home would be interfered with by its removal；
but he insisted that 〃Ironing…table Grange〃 would be just as good a
name； and that symmetrical propriety in such a case did not amount
to a row of pins。
The result was； that we did have the ironing…table； and that
Euphemia was very much pleased with it。 A great many other
improvements were projected and carried out by him； and I was very
much worried。 He made a flower…garden for Euphemia on the extreme
forward…deck； and having borrowed a wheelbarrow； he wheeled dozens
of loads of arable dirt up our gang…plank and dumped them out on
the deck。 When he had covered the garden with a suitable depth of
earth； he smoothed it off and then planted flower…seeds。 It was
rather late in the season； but most of them came up。 I was pleased
with the garden； but sorry I had not made it myself。
One afternoon I got away from the office considerably earlier than
usual； and I hurried home to enjoy the short period of daylight
that I should have before supper。 It had been raining the day
before； and as the bottom of our garden leaked so that earthy water
trickled down at one end of our bed…room； I intended to devote a
short time to stuffing up the cracks in the ceiling or bottom of
the deckwhichever seems the most appropriate。
But when I reached a bend in the river road； whence I always had
the earliest view of my establishment； I did not have that view。 I
hurried on。 The nearer I approached the place where I lived； the
more horror…stricken I became。 There was no mistaking the fact。
The boat was not there！
In an instant the truth flashed upon me。
The water was very highthe rain had swollen the rivermy house
had floated away！
It was Wednesday。 On Wednesday afternoons our boarder came home
early。
I clapped my hat tightly on my head and ground my teeth。
〃Confound that boarder！〃 I