“Belinda, I love you,” said he.

“Thank you very much,” answered she. “Isn’t it extraordinary weather for this time of the year? I can hardly believe that we are in the middle of summer.”

Poor Jack left in despair, and this time he whistled a funeral march.

But like a true-hearted sailor, he resolved to try again. So the next day he said to her:

“Belinda, I’m afraid we are going to have heavy weather, there are so many clouds overhead. Look up out of the sky-light and you will see for yourself.”

“I would rather not,” she said, keeping her eyes tightly closed. “I don’t like seeing clouds; it depresses my spirits.”

“You can look out of the sky-light now,” he said to her later, “without being afraid of seeing the clouds. They have all cleared away and it is blue again.”

“Then I can enjoy my afternoon nap,” she remarked simply, “without fear of thunder.”

And on this occasion the poor curly-headed Sailor felt too miserable even to attempt whistling; he went away in dumb despair!

It was just about this time that Mademoiselle Cerise was bought by a lady as a present for her little god-daughter.