s no need to
worry yourself, my good sir. He has signed for the round voyage, and
you will see him back in a couple of months, all the better for having
to rough it a bit and finding out what hard work means."

This was his opinion, and, on the whole, Barney's brother and sisters
were inclined to agree. After the suspense of the past weeks it was a
blessed relief to hear definite news, and, with a good ship and a good
captain, there was little fear of the boy's safety. There was just a
chance that letters written at once might arrive at Capetown before the
vessel sailed on her homeward voyage, and Philippa was already
rehearsing loving messages, when Madge cried eagerly:

"Can't we _do_ something to celebrate the occasion? Not to-night, I
mean, but to-morrow. We have been in the depths for so long that we
need a little festivity. I'm _tired_ of being miserable!"

She felt a passing wonder as to the moaning of Hope's quick frown, but
Theo chimed in with an eager assent, and even the grave Steve stretched
himself, as if throwing off a burden, and looked pleased at the
suggestion.

"I believe we should all be the better for a change. There has been too
much work and too little play lately to be good for any of us. The
question is, what can we do that is cheap and exciting!"

Madge's grimace was the reverse of approving.

"The greatest change we could have would be to be expensive and lazy.
It is not my idea of pleasure to stand shivering in a queue for a couple
of hours, and hunt for omnibuses after a performance. I want to see how
the other people live--the people who toil not, neither wear their last
year's clothes! I should like to dine at the Carlton, and sit in the
hall after dinner watching the coming and going--the pretty girls in
their fashion-plate cloaks, and the old ladies in sables and diamonds,
going out to theatres and evening receptions--and watch the flirtations,
and listen to Theo making up stories. It would be so good for us both;
we should get lots of ideas."

"I'm afraid"--began Steve the prudent, but the Hermit did not give him
time to finish.

"I will engage a table at the Carlton to-morrow morning," he cried.
"You shall all come and dine with me. It is a capital idea. I'm very
much obliged to Miss Madge for suggesting it."

Polite murmurs of dissent greeted this speech. Steve cried, "No, no, my
dear fellow; we couldn't think of it." Philippa blushed, and declared,
"You mustn