Part 28 (1/2)

Those words, and also the warm praise bestowed upon his recitations when they had been heard, filled the boy's heart with happiness. His father returned to the Academy with him at the hour for drill, but the others witnessed it from the deck of the _Dolphin_. At its conclusion, Captain Raymond and his son returned to the yacht, Max having permission to remain there until near ten o'clock on Sunday night.

A trip up the river had been planned for the afternoon, and anchor was weighed and the yacht started as soon as her commander and his son had come aboard.

All were seated upon the deck under an awning, greatly enjoying a delicious breeze, the dancing and sparkling of the water, and the distant view of the sh.o.r.e arrayed in the lovely verdure of spring.

Mrs. Dinsmore, Mrs. Travilla, and Mrs. Raymond sat together, busy with fancy work and chatting cheerily, while the younger ones had their drawing materials or books--except Grace, who was dressing a doll for little Elsie. Few of them, however, were accomplis.h.i.+ng a great deal, there being so small necessity for the employment and so many things to withdraw their attention from it.

Max speedily made his way to Mrs. Travilla's side. She looked up from her work, and greeted him with her sweet smile. ”It is quite delightful to have you among us again, my dear boy,” she said, taking his hand and pressing it affectionately in hers.

”Thank you, dear Grandma Elsie,” he returned, his eyes sparkling; ”it is a great pleasure to hear you say so, though I don't know how to believe that you can enjoy it half so much as I do.”

”I am glad to hear that you do, laddie,” she said brightly. ”Now suppose we have a bit of chat together. Take that camp chair by your grandmother's side and tell her how you enjoy that artillery exercise you have just been going through.”

”Thank you, ma'am,” said Max laughingly, as he took the seat indicated.

”It's really delightful to be treated as a relative by so dear and sweet a lady, but you do look so young that it seems almost ridiculous for a great fellow like me to call you grandma.”

”Does it? Why, your father calls me mother, and to be so related to him surely must make me your grandmother.”

”But you are not really old enough to be his mother, and I am his oldest child.”

”And begin to feel yourself something of a man, since you are not called Max, but Mr. Raymond at the Academy yonder?” she returned in a playfully interrogative tone.

Max seemed to consider a moment, then smiling, but blus.h.i.+ng vividly, ”I'm afraid I must plead guilty to that charge, Grandma Elsie,” he said with some hesitation.

”What is that, Max?” asked his father, drawing near just in time to catch the last words.

”That I begin to feel that--as if I'm a--at least almost--a man, sir,”

answered the lad, stammering and coloring with mortification.

”Ah, that's not so very bad, my boy,” laughed his father. ”I believe that at your age I was more certain of being one than you are--really feeling rather more fully convinced of my wisdom and consequence than I am now.”

”Were you indeed, papa? then there is hope for me,” returned the lad, with a pleased look. ”I was really afraid you would think me abominably conceited.”

”No, dear boy, none of us think you that,” said Mrs. Travilla, again smiling sweetly upon him. ”But you have not yet answered my query as to how you enjoyed the artillery exercise we have just seen you go through.”

”Oh, I like it!” returned Max, his eyes sparkling. ”And I don't think I shall ever regret my choice of a profession if I succeed in pa.s.sing, and become as good an officer as my father has been,” looking up into the captain's face with a smile full of affection and proud appreciation.

”Now I fear my boy is talking of something that he knows very little about,” said the captain, a twinkle of fun in his eye. ”Who told you, Max, that your father had been a good officer?”

”My commandant, sir, who knows all about it, or at least thinks he does.”

At that instant there was a sound like the splas.h.i.+ng of oars on the farther side of the vessel, and a boyish voice called out, ”Ahoy there, Raymond! A message from the commandant!”

”Oh, I hope it isn't to call you back, Maxie!” exclaimed Lulu, springing up and following Max and her father as they hastened to that side of the vessel, expecting to see a row-boat there with a messenger from the Academy.

But no boat of that kind was in sight. Could it have pa.s.sed around the vessel? Max hurried to the other side to make sure but no boat was there.

”Oh!” he exclaimed, with a merry laugh, ”it was Mr. Lilburn,” and he turned a smiling, amused face toward the old gentleman, who had followed, and now stood close at his side.