"Then do you say I may go, Papa?"
"Yes, if you will go to bed at once, in order to secure enough sleep by five o'clock in the morning."
"Oh, thank you, sir! Yes, indeed, I will," she said, hastily rising to her feet, and bidding good-night to Mr. Keith.
"I too," said Max, following her example.
"Good children," said their father; then noticing the longing look in Lulu's eyes, he excused himself to his friend, saying he would join him again presently, and went with them.
"That is a beautiful, bright, engaging, little girl of yours, Raymond,—one that any father might be proud of," remarked Keith when the Captain had resumed the seat by his side.
"She seems all that to me; but I have sometimes thought it might be the blindness of parental affection that makes the child so lovely and engaging in her father's eyes," returned the Captain, in tones that spoke much gratification.
"I think, indeed I am sure, not," returned Keith. "About how old is she?"
"Thirteen. Actually, she'll be a woman before I know it!" was the added exclamation in a tone of dismay. "I don't like the thought of losing my little girl even in that way."
"Ah, you'll be likely to lose her in another before many years!" laughed his friend. "She'll make a lovely woman, Raymond!"