fternoon."

The orders had been given. There was an early morning stir at the
Villa Etoile, a scramble to the Theoule railway station, and before
nine o'clock we were all aboard for the hour's ride to Cagnes. When we
got off the train, there was just one _cocher_ available. He looked at
papa and mamma and Uncle Lester and the four babies and their nurse,
and raised his hands to heaven. But Villeneuve-Loubet was not far off
and we were careful to say nothing of the afternoon's program. Leonie
and the children were packed into the carriage. The rest of us
followed afoot.

Our cheerful host at Villeneuve-Loubet greeted us effusively. He had
many holiday guests, but he remembered the Artist and me, and the
splendid profit accruing from every drink out of the bottle only _les
Anglais_ called for. There were plenty of trout, fresh sliced
cucumbers, and a special soup for the kiddies. The _cocher_ was so
amenable to Leonie's charms and to drinks that cost less than ours that
he consented to further exertion for his horse. But the climb to Vence
was out of the question--a physical impossibility, he declared. And
we, having seen the horse at rest and in action, could only sorrowfully
agree. It was too much of a job to maneuver all the children (the baby
could not walk) to the tramway halt, nearly a mile away, and on and off
the cars. The mother said that she could not be a good sport to the
point of abandoning all her handicaps for several hours in a place
where the river flowed fast and deep. So it was agreed that she would
have at least the excursion to Saint-Paul-du-Var, and the Artist and I,
determined this time on Vence, would see her the next evening for
dinner at Cannes.

So we made our adieux, and hurried off to get the tram at the
bifurcation below the castle. Half an hour later our tram passed the
carriage jogging up the hill. As luck had it, we turned out just then
on a switch to let the down car pass. The temptation of Vence was too
much for Helen. The _cocher_ seemed a fatherly sort of a man. There
was a quick consultation from tram to carriage. A reunion with the
handicaps was set for two hours later in front of the triple gate of
Saint-Paul-du-Var, and another passenger got on the tram.

Around a curve we waved farewell to our children. After all, Vence was
only three miles beyond Saint-Paul. As we passed the Saint-Paul halt,
our old friend, the postman, was on the platform to receive the