ople from the hotels
and cottages came down to the beach to bathe, and almost every one had a
pleasant word for the little boy.

At last the ginger-snaps were produced, and they all sat down to enjoy
them before going home.

"I wonder what makes people so dreadfully hungry at the sea shore,"
remarked Jack, helping himself to his third ginger-snap. "At home I
never used to eat very much."

"It's because you're so much better than you used to be," said Betty,
regarding her brother with happy, loving eyes. "What's the matter, Lulu?
you've dropped your cake."

"My goodness," exclaimed Lulu, clasping her hands in dismay. "I declare
I forgot all about telling you the most important thing. A lord is
coming to stay with us."

"A what?" inquired Betty and Winifred both together.

"A lord," repeated Lulu impressively, "a real live English lord. He's
coming on his yacht. Papa got a letter from him yesterday, and he's on
his way now."

"Where is he coming from?" Winifred asked.

"I don't know, but he's traveling in his yacht. He has a castle in
England, and he's awfully rich. Mamma thinks he will bring a valet with
him."

"How did your family happen to know him?" inquired Betty, much
interested.

"He and papa went to college together in England. He wasn't a lord then,
though; he only got to be one about a year ago, papa says, because his
uncle and his cousin, who were lords, both died, and he inherited the
title."

"Just like Little Lord Fauntleroy," said Winifred; "I wonder if he
minded it the way Fauntleroy did at first."

"Of course not," said Lulu, with superior wisdom. "Fauntleroy was only a
silly little boy. I guess every man would like to be a lord if he had
the chance. He and papa were great friends at college, and papa says he
used to be very jolly and full of fun. I think he must really be rather
nice, for when I asked papa whether I should say 'my lord' or 'your
lordship' when I spoke to him, he only laughed, and said he didn't
believe it would make much difference. I always thought a lord would be
very angry if people didn't say 'my lord' or 'your lordship' whenever
they spoke to him."

"Perhaps it's because he's such a new one that he isn't so very
particular," Winifred suggested. "What made him come over to this
country?"

"I don't know; I suppose because he wants to see it. He cruises about in
his yacht, and mamma doesn't think he will stay very long with us,
though she hopes he will on account o