She was to feel it more and more, but to find a keen delight in all that was so new to her and so matter of fact to Melvin. Even the dishes served at table, were decidedly “English” in name and flavor, though there were plenty of other and more familiar ones upon the menu.
After this supper which was more hearty than most dinners at home, they walked to the postoffice and found a heap of mail that had been forwarded along their route. As usual there were letters from the “Boys” and the Judge hailed with delight the news that they, as well as the Governor-General, would be among the morrow’s arrivals.
“We’ll stay till Sunday in Halifax, then start for camp on Monday, rain or shine, wind, fog, or sunshine;” wrote the correspondent who arranged matters from the other end of the line.
“Good enough, good enough! Then my vacation will actually begin!” cried the pleased man.
“And pray, what do you call the days that have just passed, my brother?” demanded Auntie Lu, with a smile.
“My dear, I call that a ‘personally conducted tour,’ a tour of great responsibility and many perils. After Monday, when I deposit you ladies and the youngsters at Farmer Grimm’s, I wash my hands of the whole of you for one long, delightful month!”
The laugh with which he said this disarmed the words of any unkindness and was echoed by another laugh quite free from offense.
“Very well, then, Schuyler, until Monday we hold you to your ‘personally’ conducting. You must take us everywhere, show us everything that is worth while. I want to go to the ‘Martello’ tower; to the Citadel, the old churches, the parks, all over the harbor on all sorts and conditions of boats, to—”
But the Judge held up his hand, protesting. Then asked:
“Suppose it proves a foggy season? Fog is one of the things to be counted upon in all parts of this country, more especially here. One summer I was here three weeks and the sun didn’t shine once!”