"And, by the way, what did you think of the young lady ?" "Ripping, positively ripping!" exclaimed Mercer.
"That's the word," agreed Kent.

"Ripping.

It sounds like the calico counter in a dry-goods store, but means a lot.

Don't happen to know where she is staying or why she is at the Landing, do you ?" He knew that he was asking a foolish question and scarcely expected an answer from Mercer.

He was astonished when the other said: "I heard Doctor Cardigan ask her if we might expect her to honor us with another visit, and she told him it would be impossible, because she was leaving on a down-river scow tonight.