She presently stole to her father’s side, slipped her hand into his, and looked up into his face with a bright, glad smile.
“I am to go too, papa?” she asked in a low tone, meant only for his ear.
“Unless you prefer to stay at home, daughter,” he said, putting an arm around her and drawing her closer to him, smoothing her hair with the other hand and smiling fondly down into the fair young face.
“Oh, no, sir! I want to go, ’specially as Mamma Vi and Elsie and baby Ned will all go along; and we’ll be in the Dolphin and not in the tiresome cars.”
“Yes, I think the Dolphin is far more comfortable than the cars, and I trust the little trip will prove very enjoyable to us all,” he replied, by no means ill-pleased that his little girl was so happy in the prospect.
CHAPTER V.
Time moved on swiftly enough to the older people, busily engaged in preparations for the contemplated trip to Annapolis, yet with rather laggard step to the younger ones, who were in haste to experience its pleasures and excitements. But in the performance of school duties they one and all acquitted themselves quite to the captain’s satisfaction; even excitable Lulu finding it not nearly so difficult to concentrate her thoughts upon the business in hand as it had been when first her father began to act as tutor to his children. Also Marian’s companionship in her lessons during the second week was an assistance to renewed and increased interest in them.
But at length the appointed day for the sailing of the Dolphin came. Marian adhered to her decision to remain behind, attending to the preparation of her summer wardrobe, but the others, all in good health and spirits, were ready and eager for the trip.