both
seemed much pleased to see her. In the evening Uncle Will and Aunt
Estelle made much of her, and when bedtime came, although she missed her
mother's good-night kiss, still it seemed so natural to be going to bed
in the old familiar nursery, where she had spent so many nights, that
she could almost fancy the past happy months were all a dream, and that
her mother had never come back from California at all.

"Only no dream could possibly be so lovely as it really is," she said to
herself, settling herself comfortably on her pillow when Aunt Estelle
had put out the light and gone away. "Oh, I am glad it isn't a dream,
but something really true. I was a wicked girl to wish I could go to the
country and do something different, when I've got such lots and lots of
things to be happy about."

"This is the very perfection of a summer's day," Mr. Meredith remarked
at the breakfast table next morning. "I wish I were not obliged to spend
it cooped up in my office. A trip to the seaside now would be very much
to my liking."

"We're going to take excursions sometimes this summer," said Winifred
brightly. "Father says perhaps we may go down to Manhattan Beach for a
Sunday. Did you ever go to Manhattan Beach, Uncle Will?"

"Yes, several times. I have been to Navesink too. Isn't that where your
friends, the Bells, are spending the summer?"

"Yes; Lulu says it's a beautiful place. She asked me to come for a
visit, but I can't leave mother."

"Too bad, isn't it?" observed Mr. Meredith, with his eyes on his plate.
"Halloo, there's the door bell; I wonder who can be coming to see us so
early in the morning."

"Why, it's father and mother," exclaimed Winifred joyfully, springing
down from her chair, and darting out into the hall as Norah opened the
front door. "Oh, mother, dear, you are early. We've only just finished
breakfast."

"It is such a lovely morning," said Mrs. Hamilton, returning her little
daughter's rapturous embrace, "that your father and I thought we would
take a trip down the bay."

"Oh, how nice," cried Winifred, clapping her hands. "And isn't it funny?
Uncle Will and I have just been talking about trips. Are you sure you
can really get away for a whole day, father?"

"I think I can manage it," said Mr. Hamilton, laughing. "Now run and get
ready, little one, for our boat leaves at ten, and it's after nine
already."

Winifred flew upstairs for her belongings, told the good news to
Josephine, and was back