The man with the gold-headed cane had been headed for the cottage, but espying the boy at the water's edge, he changed his course. He crept to within a few paces of the lad before he hailed: "Halloo, little boy! I'll bet I know who your papa is." The boy looked casually around. Seeing that it was a stranger, he faced about and stood respectfully erect. "Mr. Welkie's little boy, aren't you?" "Yes, sir. But I'm 'most six." "Oh-h, I see-a big boy now. But what have you got there?" The boy held up the toy steamer with which he had been playing. "Oh-h, I see now. What are you going to do with it?" The boy looked sidewise out to where in the bay a fleet of battle-ships were lying to anchor.
