bright and sunny, a
light breeze making it just cool enough to be delightful.

The barge was waiting for its gay little passengers.

The children stood with impatient feet on the piazza, waiting for their
host, merry, handsome Uncle Harry.

At last a firm tread caused them to turn, and there he was, looking
gayer than ever, a picture of health, strength, and kindliness, and
clad in a most becoming outing suit of light gray serge.

The blue of his tie was not bluer than his fine eyes, and no one could
have glanced at him without knowing that he possessed a generous, loving
nature, a kind and merry heart.

"Come, little friends!" he cried. "Is every young lady that I invited
here?" he added, looking anxiously lest some child be late, and thus by
chance, be left behind.

"Every one is here!" said Flossie. "I know because I've counted."

"Then we'll start at once, unless some one would rather wait 'til
to-morrow?" he said, his eyes twinkling.

"Oh, no! No!" they cried. "We just _couldn't_ wait!"

"In that case we'll go now!" he said, with a droll expression, as if he
started at once, merely as an accommodation.

"Why, Uncle Harry! You're only joking," cried Flossie. "You wouldn't be
willing to wait until to-morrow. I heard you tell Aunt Vera to hurry and
find your tie, because you were in such a rush to start!"

"To think that my own little niece would tell tales like that, and thus
let out the secret. What chance have I now, of making them think that I
was really very shy about riding with such a large party of girls?"

Shouts of laughter greeted this speech, and Uncle Harry waited until it
had subsided, then he said:

"Oh, well, if no one _believes_ that I am shy or diffident, it's waste
of time to try to appear so, so I shall not try. Instead, I shall be
very bold. Come, dears, let me help you in!"

And amid shouts of laughter from the children, he lifted each high in
air, and placed her in the barge, thus saving her the trouble of
mounting the steps.

Then taking his seat in the middle of the laughing, chattering little
party, he called to the driver to start.

The long whip cracked, Jack Tiverton, from the piazza, blew loudly on a
tin trumpet, and they were off over the road, the happiest party that
ever filled a barge.

Uncle Harry told some amusing stories, then, led by his fine voice, they
sang some gay little songs, and before they dreamed that they had
arrived at the fair, the driver shouted: