hat she must give up the
spring term at High School for something far more educational than mere
books. Perhaps the sea captain had intended to be stern when he asked
that question; but Nancy had her own peculiar methods of dispelling
sternness. A beaming anticipatory smile irradiated her face and
scattered parental disapproval even as the warm rays of the sun scatter
the morning mists.

"Japan!" she announced solemnly; and Captain Brown, who himself had made
voyages to Japan in his youth, pricked up his ears like an old hunting
dog when he hears the call of the pack. The name of High School faded
from his memory. It was the high seas he was thinking of--the great
desert of waters, the fresh salt breeze and the foam track left by the
little ship as it cut through the waves.

Without a word, he opened an old sea chest and drew out an atlas and
chart. Nancy blinked her eyes and smiled happily. She wondered if the
other girls were having as easy a time in breaking the amazing news to
their parents. Would Elinor Butler's father and mother consent to her
taking this long journey? Would Mrs. Price be willing to part with Mary
for many, many months while that young person journeyed to the other side
of the world? Captain Brown settled himself on a settee in front of the
crackling driftwood fire and Nancy seated herself beside him.

"You see, it's this way, father," she began, while Captain Brown turned
the leaves of the atlas with reverent fingers. "Billie Campbell's
father is a great engineer--"

"I've known him since he was a boy, child," interrupted the Captain.

"He's been invited by the Japanese government to go to Japan on some
consulting work, and he says he can't live without Billie another summer,
and Billie says she can't exist without us; so Mr. Campbell is to take a
house in Tokyo and we are all to go. Mr. Ignatius Donahue is going to
take us across to San Francisco in his private car. He says it's a very
small return for something we did for him once, and the end of the story
is that we are to sail for Japan in two weeks. Isn't that delightful,
Captain Brown?" she added, giving her father a tight hug and kissing him
on the end of his nose. "And aren't you overjoyed for your little
daughter to have such an opportunity to see the other side of the world?"

The Captain returned the kiss with good measure and resumed his study of
the maps and charts.

"You'll be a member of the Royal Geographical Society next,"