The captain, standing beside his wife, bent over her and the babe with a face full of love and delight.
"Isn't she a darling?" whispered Violet, gazing down upon the tiny creature with all a young mother's unspeakable love and pride in her first-born, then up into her husband's face.
"That she is!" he responded; "I never saw a fairer, sweeter babe. I should fear to risk her little life and health in a journey to Nantucket by land; but going by sea will, I think, be more likely to do her good than harm."
"It's all her, her, when you talk about that baby," laughed Rosie; "why don't you call her by her name?"
"So we will, Aunt Rosie, if you will kindly inform us what it is," returned the captain, good-humoredly.
"I, sir!" exclaimed Rosie; "we have all been told again and again that you were to decide upon the name on your arrival; and you've been here—how many hours?—and it seems the poor little dear is nameless yet."
"Apparently not greatly afflicted by it either," said the captain, adopting Rosie's sportive tone. "My love, what do you intend to call your daughter?"
"Whatever her father appoints as her name," returned Vi, laughingly.
"No, no," he said; "you are to name her yourself; you have undoubtedly the best right."
"Thank you; then, if you like, she shall be mamma's namesake; her first granddaughter should be, I think, as the first grandson was papa's."