ide fully upon their plans, as some weeks must
elapse ere carrying them out and there would be a good deal of
intercourse among them in the meantime.

They scattered to their homes early in the evening that Dr. Percival
might not be kept up or awake, and that the little ones might be
safely and in good season bestowed in their nests for the night.

Dr. Percival improved rapidly in the next few weeks; so rapidly that
he was able to make a visit to Roselands, the Oaks, and Woodburn, each
in turn, and felt that he should greatly enjoy the journey to the
North and the sojourn by the seaside there which awaited him, his
wife, and friends.

Our two pairs of lovers went quietly and happily on with their
courting, considered plans for future house-building and housekeeping,
and what should be done and enjoyed in the meantime, and it seemed but
a little while till they were again on board the _Dolphin_ and
speeding on their northward course.

It was the same party that had come in her on that last voyage from
the South. Max was still in the enjoyment of his furlough and by his
father's request now took command of the vessel; but, the weather
being fine throughout the voyage, his duties were not arduous and
Evelyn had no reason to complain of want of attention from her fiance.
Nor had Lucilla; Chester being seldom absent from her side during the
day or evening. So that Captain Raymond began to feel at times that he
was already losing--to some extent--his eldest daughter. He sighed
over it to himself, but made no complaint to either of them.

Lucilla's affection for him did not seem to have suffered any
abatement; as had been her custom, she often came to him for a bit of
private chat early in the morning or in the evening after the others
had gone to their staterooms; and in these private interviews she was
the same ardently affectionate daughter she had been for years; so
that he felt he had no reason to fear that her lover had stolen all
her heart.

But she was very keen-sighted as regarded him and his feelings toward
her. One evening as, according to his custom, he paced the deck after
all the passengers had retired for the night, he heard her light step
at his side and then her voice asking in its sweetest tones, "Papa
dear, mayn't I walk with you for at least a few minutes? I am neither
sleepy nor tired, and it is so seldom now that I can have my own dear
father all to myself."

"Yes, daughter dear," he said, puttin