re, anywhere--just
to relieve her tremendous excitement.

Never in her life had it seemed so hard to keep still. Her trunk had
gone to the station, her bag was packed, and everything was ready to
catch the ten-o'clock train for New York. From there she and Bess were
to take the boat, which was to carry them swiftly down the coast to
Jacksonville, the gateway to Florida.

Everything was in readiness that is save Momsey. All that separated her
from that desirable state was one small and pretty fur hat which Momsey
was just now fitting on in front of the mirror in the little
sitting-room.

But it did take a long time just to put on one hat, thought Nan with a
sigh. Momsey never used to be so slow. Then, unable to bear it a moment
longer, she jumped to her feet and peeped in at the door of the little
"dwelling in amity."

What she saw made her pause, a smothered exclamation on her lips, her
eyes dancing. For Papa Sherwood was there with Momsey and he was looking
at her with as much admiration in his eyes as though they had been
married only one year, instead of--oh, Nan couldn't remember how many!

"That trip overseas was just what you needed to make a girl of you
again, Momsey," Papa Sherwood was saying in a tone that matched his
look. "You might be our Nan's older sister. And isn't that a new hat?"

Momsey had started to make him a demure curtsey when Nan's clear laugh
interrupted the tete-a-tete.

"Excuse me," she said, her eyes dancing. "Far be it from me to be in the
way of anything--and, Momsey, you do look wonderful in that hat--but you
know that train won't wait all day. Oh, Momsey! Papa Sherwood!"--she
waltzed in upon them and hugged them gaily--"isn't it perfectly,
wonderfully gorgeous?"

"What now, honey?" asked Momsey, as she rearranged the pretty hat which
Nan had pushed down unbecomingly over one eye.

"What now?" repeated Nan breathlessly. "What now? Why,
Florida--Jacksonville--Palm Beach! No, don't look at me as though I had
gone crazy. I'm only raving. Come on, come on, you slow pokes." She half
pushed her laughing parents toward the door. "You can carry the
suitcase, Papa Sherwood, and I'll carry the hat box. There's only one
other bundle, and I'll take that one and Momsey can bring up the rear
with the lunch. I wonder what Bess will say when she sees the lunch,"
she chuckled, as her father carefully locked the door of the little
house and put the key in his pocket.

"Well, I think I know what