"Oh, Papa, how delightful!" cried Lulu, clapping her hands.
"Ah, my child, let me advise you not to be too much elated," laughed her father; "they may have or receive orders to leave this port for some other before our plan can be carried out."
"What plan is it?" "To what do you refer, Captain?" asked several voices; for nearly every one had now taken a look at the man-of-war, and was ready to give attention to something else.
The Captain explained.
"Oh, how delightful!" exclaimed Zoe. "Will it be a dinner, tea, or evening party, Captain?"
"That question remains open to discussion, Sister Zoe," he returned, with a twinkle of fun in his eye. "What would you advise?"
"Oh," she said laughingly, "I am not prepared to answer that question yet."
Then the others joined in with proposals and suggestions, but nothing was positively decided upon just at that time.
The day was spent restfully in wandering along the shore, sitting on the beach or the cottage porches, chatting and gazing out over the sea, or napping,—most of the last-named being done by the lately returned travellers.
The little girls of the family, occasionally joined by Max Raymond and Walter Travilla, spent much of the day together, rather apart from their elders,—Lulu most of the time giving an account of her trip out West and weeks of sojourn in the town of Minersville, the acquaintances she had made, and all that had happened during the stay there, especially of the sad occurrence which so seriously marred the enjoyment of the last days of their visit, Max now and then taking part in the narrative.