PAGE

I. THE ARRIVAL 11

II. THE CAMP 26

III. AUF DAS WASSER ZU SINGEN 39

IV. AFTER THE PICNIC 55

V. KITTY AND WILLY 75

VI. A DISCUSSION 90

VII. WATER PLAY 106

VIII. THE MAIL 119

IX. MR. BELLEVILLE 138

X. PUPPY PLAY 155

XI. MRS. MERRYWEATHER'S VIGIL 171

XII. "SHOULD AULD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT" 186

XIII. ABOUT VISITING 204

XIV. MOONLIGHT AGAIN 220

XV. CONCERNING VARIOUS THINGS 239

XVI. ON THE DOWN 259

XVII. THE SNOWY OWL 273

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

"'TU-WHOO!' SAID THE SNOWY OWL" (_See page 281_) _Frontispiece_

"'HERE IS YOURS,' SAID BELL; 'NEXT TO OURS'" 28

"''TIS NOT A PLATE SHIP!'" 81

"'COME ON! COME IN!'" 107

"MR. CLAUD BELLEVILLE WAS A TALL, PALLID YOUTH" 138

MRS. MERRYWEATHER'S VIGIL 175

"'SIMPLY FIERCE, YOUR REVERENCE!' SAID I" 217

"HE WAS STIRRING THE PORRIDGE INDUSTRIOUSLY, WHILE SHE
MIXED THE JOHNNY-CAKE" 233

THE MERRYWEATHERS

CHAPTER I.

THE ARRIVAL

"OH, Peggy, I am afraid!"

"Why, Margaret!"

"Yes, I am. I feel very shy and queer, going among strangers. You see, I
have never really been away in my life; never in this way, I mean. I was
always with father; and then--afterward--I went to Fernley; and though
so many people have come into my life, dear, delightful people, I have
never somehow gone into theirs. And now, to go into a whole great big
family, only two of whom--I mean which--oh, dear me! I don't know what I
mean, but I have only seen two of them, you know, and it is formidable,
you will admit, Peggy."

"Well, I feel just a scrap queer myself," said Peggy; "but I never
thought you would. And anyhow, we needn't; we both know t