e yacht is here, papa," Lucilla said as they walked up
the winding path that led to Crag Cottage. "I felt last night as if it
were an imposition for so many of us to crowd into Evelyn's small
house--even though we were there by her own invitation; and yet I was
afraid she might feel hurt if we should go off very speedily to some
house of entertainment."

"Yes," returned her father; "but it will be all right now, I think. If
I had known you were so troubled about the matter, I should have told
you I was expecting the _Dolphin_."

"But you didn't because you wanted to give me and all the rest a
pleasant surprise?" she said questioningly, and with a loving look up
into his eyes.

"Yes, that was it. You are as good at guessing as a Yankee."

"But I am a Yankee, am I not?" she laughed.

"Yes; you certainly belong to the universal Yankee nation; as did your
ancestors for several generations. Both mine and your mother's were
here long before the Revolution."

"A fact which I think is something to rejoice over," she said in
joyous tones.

"Therefore something to be thankful for," he said in a tone between
assertion and inquiry.

"Oh, yes, sir; yes, indeed! I am very glad and thankful that you are
my father and I am your child."

"And I that you are my own dearly loved daughter," he said in
response.

"Ah," as a turn in the walk brought the house into full view, "I see
we are no longer the only ones up and about"--for nearly all the
guests were now gathered upon the porch or wandering to and fro under
the trees or among the flower beds near at hand.

"Oh, yonder come papa and Lu!" shouted Ned at the same moment,
starting on a run toward them, quickly followed by his cousins, the
Leland boys.

"Good-morning, papa and Lu," "Good-morning, uncle and Lu," cried the
three as they drew near. Eric adding: "Have you been down by the
river? and is there a walk along down by the waters edge?"

"In some places," his uncle answered, "but you can go down and see for
yourselves after breakfast."

"Oh, yes; I presume we can get permission; especially if papa or you
will go with us, Uncle Levis."

"It would be still pleasanter to go up and down the river in a boat
though," remarked Ned, taking possession of his father's hand as they
all moved on toward the house. "Papa, can't you have our yacht brought
here for us to go in?"

"I suppose that might be possible," was the smiling rejoinder.

"Oh, that would be splendid, uncl