in fact, that anybody most desires.
For, by and by, these idle days must give place to days of discipline,
when our small hostess, here, will resume her education in the faraway
northland of Canada. What will befall her there? Ah! well. That we
must wait to learn from time, and from the forthcoming story of
'_Dorothy at Oak Knowe_.'

"Meanwhile, the autumn is at its best. October on the old Chesapeake
is just glorious, with occasional storms thrown in to make us grateful
for this safe, snug little craft. Mr. Stinson says he wouldn't be
afraid to trust it on the Atlantic, even, but we'll not do that. We'll
just simply fill these remaining days of Dorothy's vacation with
the--time of our lives! All in favor, say Aye. Contrary--no."

As he finished the "Learned Blacksmith" drew his beloved ward to his
side and looked into her sparkling eyes, asking:

"Well, Dolly Doodles, what say?"

"Aye, aye, aye!"

"Aye, aye, aye!" rose almost deafening from every throat.

"Then, Mrs. Bruce, since all that is settled bid Chloe get to work and
give these travelers the very best dinner ever cooked in our little
galley;" said Mrs. Calvert, in her gayest manner.

Yet as she spoke, her eyes rested lovingly upon the beautiful Copse
and the sadness which any parting brings to the old fell upon her.
Till cheerful old Seth, her lifelong friend, sat down beside her, with
Dorothy snuggling to him and talked as only he could talk--always of
the future, rarely of the past.

"Look ahead--lend a hand."

They were to do that still. And in this "look ahead" Dorothy was
asked:

"What shall you do with the Water Lily, when this year's cruise is
over?"

"Is it really, truly mine, to do with exactly as I want?"

"Surely, child, your Uncle Seth isn't an 'Injun giver'!" he answered,
smiling.

"Then I want to make it over to somebody, whoever's best, for the use
of poor, or crippled, or unhappy children and folks. Darling Elsa said
in the beginning it would be 'a cruise of loving kindness' and seems
if it had been. I don't mean me--not anything I've had a chance to
do--only the way you've always showed me about 'leadings' and 'links
in the chain of life' you know. So many such beautiful things have
happened beside all the funny ones. The Stillwells finding out about
each other, and Mr. Corny 'turning over a new leaf' to take better
care of his folks; Gerald and Aurora learning to be gentle to
everybody; those Manor House people making up; and