“Yes, sir,” returned Rosie, catching hold of Lulu and giving her a hearty embrace; “on such a morning as this, and in such a lovely place, bed has no attractions to compare with those of out of doors.”

“That’s exactly what papa and I think,” said Lulu; “and, oh girls, I’m so glad you have come to share this lovely, lovely place with us.  Eva, I haven’t yet got over the glad surprise of your coming.  I was just saying to papa how very kind it was in Grandma Elsie and the rest of them to prepare such an unexpected pleasure for me.  Wasn’t it good in them?”

“Yes, indeed, good to us both!” Evelyn said, squeezing affectionately the hand Lulu had slipped into hers.

“Captain,” looking up smilingly into his face, “are you intending to be so very, very kind as to take me for one of your pupils?”

“Most assuredly, my dear, if you wish it,” he replied.

“Oh, thank you, sir! thank you very much indeed, and I promise to give you as little trouble as I possibly can.”

“I shall consider it no trouble at all, my dear child,” he returned, giving her a fatherly smile.  “Indeed, I think the favor will be on your side, as doubtless Lulu will improve all the faster for your companionship in her studies.  Rosie, being older than either of you, will, I fear, have to be quite alone in most of hers.”

“Yes, Brother Levis, and as I am to be such a lonely, forlorn creature you ought to be extremely good to me,” remarked Rosie demurely.  “I hope you will remember that and try to have unlimited patience with your youngest sister.”

“Ah! my little sister would better not try the patience of her big brother too far,” returned the captain with a twinkle of fun in his eye.

“I dare say; but he needn’t think he can make me very much afraid of him, big as he is,” laughed Rosie.

“Perhaps, though, it might turn out to the advantage of Professor Manton, should my youngest sister prove quite beyond the management of her biggest and oldest brother,” remarked the captain, with assumed gravity.

“There!” exclaimed Rosie, “that’s the worst threat you could possibly have made.  I think I’ll try to be at least passably good and obedient in the schoolroom.  You needn’t look for it in any other place, Captain Raymond,” making him a deep courtesy, then dancing gayly away.

“Don’t you envy her that it is only in the schoolroom she must be obedient to me, whom you have to obey all the time?” asked the captain laughingly of Lulu, noticing that she was watching Rosie with a hurt, almost indignant look on her expressive features.

“No, indeed, papa!  I’m only too glad that I belong to you everywhere and all the time,” she answered, lifting to his face eyes full of filial respect and ardent affection.

“So am I,” he returned, pressing tenderly the hand she had again slipped into his.  “But you must not be vexed with Rosie.  Could you not see that all she said just now was in sportive jest?”