with papa and mamma and grandma,
and it's ever so pleasant to be on our yacht."

"'Specially when we have both papa and brother Max to make it go all
right," said Ned.

"You think it takes the two of us, do you?" laughed his father, taking
a seat near his wife and drawing the little fellow in between his
knees.

"No, papa; I know you could do it all by your own self," returned Ned.
"But when brother Max is there you don't have to take the trouble to
mind how things are going all the time."

"No, that's a fact," returned his father, with a pleased laugh.
"Brother Max can be trusted, and knows how to manage that large vessel
quite as well as papa does. But what will you and Elsie do while we
older people are shopping?"

"Why, my dear, there will be so many of us that we will hardly all
want to go at once," remarked Violet. "I think there will always be
someone willing to stay with the little folks."

"Yes, mamma," said Grace, who had drawn near, "I shall. Shopping is
apt to tire me a good deal, and I think I shall prefer to spend the
most of the time on the _Dolphin_."

"Yes, daughter, it will certainly be better for you," her father said,
giving her an appreciative smile. "You can go when you wish and feel
able, and keep quiet and rest when you will. But we will leave the
rest of our talk about the trip until to-morrow, choosing for the
present some subject better suited to the sacredness of the day. I
will now hear the texts which my children have got ready to recite to
me."

"Yes, sir," said Grace. "Shall I go and tell Max and Lu that you are
ready?"

"You may," the captain answered and she went, to return in a moment
with her brother and sister, Chester and Eva.

"Why, I have quite a class," the captain said, with a look of
pleasure.

"I for my part esteem it a privilege to be permitted to make one of
the number, captain," said Chester.

"As we all do, I think," said Eva.

"Thank you both," said the captain. "Our principal subject to-day is
grace; God's grace to us. Can you give me a text that teaches it,
Chester?"

"Yes, sir. Paul says in his epistle to the Ephesians, 'That in the
ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his
kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.'"

"'Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is
in Christ Jesus,'" quoted Max in his turn.