"You are satisfied with me, father?" he asked in a low aside.
"Entirely so, my dear boy," was the prompt and smiling rejoinder; "you have done well and made me a proud and happy father. And now, if you are quite ready for the homeward-bound trip, we will go aboard the yacht at once."
"I am entirely ready, sir," responded Max in joyful tones; "trunk packed and good-byes said."
But they were detained for a little, some of Captain Raymond's old friends coming up to congratulate him and his son on the latter's successful entrance into the most desirable corps of the navy. Then, on walking down to the wharf, they found the Dolphin's dory waiting for them and saw that the rest of their party was already on board, on deck and evidently looking with eager interest for their coming.
Max remarked it with a smile, adding, "How the girls have grown, father! and how lovely they all are! girls that any fellow might be proud to claim as his sisters—and friend. Evelyn, I suppose, would hardly let me claim her as a sister."
"I don't know," laughed his father; "she once very willingly agreed to a proposition from me to adopt her as my daughter."
"Yes? I think she might well be glad enough to do that; but to take me for a brother would not perhaps be quite so agreeable."
"Well, your Mamma Vi objecting to having so old a daughter, we agreed to consider ourselves brother and sister; so I suppose you can consider her your aunt, if you wish."
"There now, father, what a ridiculous idea!" laughed Max.
"Not so very," returned his father, "since aunts are sometimes younger than their nephews."