62 BRAGGADOCIO.

“ Mother, what does invidious mean?” whis-
pered Ada Cramer.

“Such comparisons as may excite unplea-
sant feelings—such as seem to come from envy
or pride,” was the reply.

Howard Framingham never wondered at
anything. He considered it a mark of bad
breeding. Neither did he enjoy admiration.
He had made up his mind not to enjoy any-
thing in the United States.

“ A race! a race!” cried George, as he ob-
served a steamer dashing on only a few hun-
dred yards behind.

And such, indeed, it proved. The two
steamers were approaching Hell-Gate,* and
yet they pressed on under full steam. The
passengers, on both sides, were anxious to win
the race; and betting upon the steamers be-
came, for a moment, the order of the day.

“T'll bet you a dollar the Knickerbocker
beats!” exclaimed George.

“Done,” cried a rough-looking countryman ;

* Hell-Gate is a passage from what is called the East
River into the Sound, the navigation of which is obstructed

_ by rocks and whirlpools.