ptain John Atherton, and his beautiful bride
standing together on the deck, and returning the salutes of the host
of friends who awaited them on the wharf.

Handkerchiefs were waved by the ladies, hats were swung by the men,
and foremost in the waiting crowd stood little Rose Atherton, a basket
of roses to offer them, and the housekeeper close beside her, lest in
her excitement she might actually be swept off the pier.

"Oh, I'm so glad, so glad!" cried Rose. "Dear Uncle John, and
dear----" she paused.

What should she call this lovely young woman?

Iris laughed.

"You must learn to call me 'Aunt Iris,'" she said, stooping to kiss
the little blushing face.

"I'll love to," Rose said, "and I won't have to learn, same's I won't
have to learn to love you, for I love you now, you are so sweet, so
lovely."

"Oh, John, was there ever a sweeter welcome? I am so happy."

At the reception a week later, Rose stood beside the dear, new aunt,
and felt very proud and happy "helping to receive."

Princess Polly and Sprite were delighted that Rose was now to be so
happy.

"Of course it is dearest to have one's own mamma," Polly said, "but
Rose had neither papa nor mamma, so lovely Mrs. Iris is next best, and
I do truly think she is dear."

"So do I," agreed Sprite, "and of course if Rose was happy with her
Uncle John she'll be just so much happier with her new aunt, but who
told you to call her 'Mrs. Iris'?"

"No one," said Polly, "but for that minute I couldn't think of
Atherton, and I couldn't call her Mrs. Captain John. Of course she is
Mrs. Atherton now."

"Oh, yes," agreed Sprite, "and my mamma says she's almost an angel.
She did truly say that this morning, and Pa said:

"That's just what she is, and Captain John Atherton is a lucky man and
I'm glad for him."

Already, plans were being made for the return to Avondale, and Rose,
Princess Polly and Sprite were looking forward to the opening of
school when, with Harry and Leslie, Lena and Rob, Vivian, and all the
other playmates, they would be having the pleasant school days, and
the good times that were always enjoyed at Avondale.

Gyp was to be "indoor man" on Captain Atherton's place, and study in
evening classes, taking a business course that would fit him for a
better position that the captain assured him should surely be his, if
he excelled in his class work.

Sprite was indeed to be happy. The year before she had spent at the
Avondale school, making h