."

"Well, your Latin won't come amiss to your French," said Mrs. Gray,
laughing to herself over this thrifty reason for learning a language.
"Marian is, of course, far ahead of you in speaking, for she learned it
by ear, as they say of music, during the year we spent in France on our
way home; but she knows but little of the rules and grammar. I think you
will do very well together; for her fluency will tempt you on to talk,
and your perseverance will keep her up to the exercises and
conjugations, which are sad drudgery, but very needful if you are ever
really to know anything of the language. You are persevering, are you
not, Cannie?"

"I don't know whether I am or not," replied Candace, inly resolving to
justify Cousin Kate's good opinion.

"I have confidence in you," said Mrs. Gray, smiling kindly at her. "And
another thing I wanted to say is, that I think both you and Marian will
enjoy the summer a great deal better for having one regular study to
prepare for. It gives a sort of backbone to your lives, don't you see?
Clear fun is like clear honey,--it cloys and loses its charm; but when
it is mixed with occupation it keeps its flavor, and you don't get tired
of it."

"I can understand that," said Candace, thoughtfully. "I recollect how
nice Saturday afternoons used to seem when Aunt Myra had kept me busy
darning stockings all the morning. I think I _would_ like the French
lessons, Cousin Kate; only I am afraid the teacher will think me very
stupid."

Candace's fears were not realized. As a beginner, her first steps were
necessarily slow; but she took pains, and had no bad habits or evil
accents to unlearn, and after a while she "got hold" of the language and
went on more rapidly. Marian's fluent chatter stimulated her to try to
talk as fast also, though Mademoiselle Bougereau, their teacher, found a
great deal of fault with Marian, and said that many of the phrases
which came so glibly out of her mouth partook of the nature of slang,
and were not finished or elegant French. Still, with all drawbacks, the
little class of two made fair progress; and Candace realized that what
Mrs. Gray had said was true, and that all the bits of amusement and
pleasure which came in her way were doubly enjoyed by reason of the
little "backbone" of real work thus put into her days.

Another pleasure which she and Marian shared in common was a surf-bath
before breakfast. Berry Joy had got up an omnibus party of girls, which
she