skillful he might, with a massive
looking gun, hit a small moving black ball and hear a bell ring. Mr.
Bartlett hit the ball today three times out of four, Graham once out of
five, but Peter, manfully lifting the large gun and scanning its barrel,
left a scar on the target four inches to the left of the little swinging
ball. This occurred after eight trials.

"Well, there's another day, Peter," said Mr. Bartlett, as they moved
away.

"And Mr. Bartlett practiced a long time, you must remember, Peter,"
said Suzanna, seeing the little fellow's downcast expression.

"Do you think before we go back to the city," asked the small boy, "that
I'll be able to make the bell ring so I can tell daddy?"

"Oh, yes," said Mr. Bartlett, encouragingly. "We'll come over here and
practice every day."

They found the others in the cottage in the big room, resting awhile
before preparing for dinner.

"Oh, Suzanna," began Maizie at once, "we're going to have a beach party
on the sands tonight. And Mrs. Bartlett says we'll have a fire built so
we can toast marshmallows."

Suzanna did not say anything. Then quickly she crossed the room and
stood before Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett. "I wish," she said solemnly, "that
all the children in the world had such dear friends as we have."

CHAPTER XXV

LAST DAYS

They held many a beach party during that wonderful month. And always
they ended the evening by drawing close together and singing happy
little songs. Till, when a little coolness crept into the air, they
would leave the ocean and go happily homeward, to sleep deep and
dreamlessly till another morning awakened them to the thought of fresh
delights.

On one morning after a beach party, the children, coming downstairs to
join their elders for breakfast at the hotel, found standing on the road
in front of the cottage, a little brown donkey attached to a basket
cart.

"Could it be, could it possibly be for them?" each child's heart asked.

And Mr. Bartlett answered the unspoken question by: "It's for you all.
Peter is to drive first because he assured me the other day he knew all
about horses; then Graham. And in a few days Suzanna, and Maizie, and
even little Daphne, can take their turns."

He went to the small donkey and stroked its nose, and the little fellow
whinnied with pleasure. The children crowded about the cart. Couldn't
they have a drive now? their eager eyes asked. But Mr. Bartlett thought
breakfast the logical begin