Part 30 (2/2)

The servants, too, came crowding about, with smiling faces and exclamations of joy and thankfulness. ”Bress de Lawd yous all safe home agin!” ”We's pow'ful glad to see you, cap'n, Miss Wi'let, an' all ob de chillens!”

”Dis chile 'specs yo's pow'ful hungry, Miss Wi'let an' de res'; but de dinnah's 'mos' ready fo' to dish up,” remarked the cook.

”Oh, we are not starving, by any means, Aunt Judy,” returned Violet. ”We had an excellent and abundant breakfast on board the _Dolphin_, and it is hardly the regular dinner hour yet.”

”And oh, papa, mayn't we run about everywhere and look at everything?”

asked Lulu and Grace half breathlessly.

”Certainly, daughters,” he replied, smiling affectionately into the eager upturned faces, ”though as dinner is so nearly ready, I think it might be well to first take off your hats and make yourselves neat for the table; then keep within doors until after the meal.”

”Oh, yes, sir,” cried Lulu, ”and there is no place we want to see more than our own rooms. So come, Gracie, let's hurry up there. Hark! there's my Polly screaming 'Lu! Lu!' She seems to know I've got home. Who can have told her? And where's your kitten?”

”Here,” returned Gracie; ”don't you see I've got her in my arms? and I do believe she's glad to see me. Oh, you pretty pet! I often wanted to see you while I was away.”

They were hurrying up the stairs while they talked, and presently reached their own little sitting room. ”Oh!” they cried in a breath, ”how sweet and lovely it does look!” Then they made a hasty circuit of Lulu's bedroom and the little tower room opening into it, exclaiming again and again at the beauty of the furnis.h.i.+ngs, as though they had never seen them before, and the extreme neatness which attested the good housekeeping of Christine.

Last of all they entered Grace's bedroom, to find its appearance quite as inviting as that of the others.

”How sweet it does look, Lu!” exclaimed Grace. ”Oh, I do think we have just the sweetest home, as well as the dearest, kindest father in the whole world!”

”Of course we have,” returned Lulu. ”I'd a thousand times rather be his child than any king's daughter.”

”Would you, indeed, my dear child?” asked a familiar voice close behind her, while a kind hand was laid upon each shoulder. ”Well, my darlings, contentment is better than wealth, and most a.s.suredly your father would not exchange you for any king's daughters, or the children of any other man.”

As he spoke he bent down to press a fatherly kiss upon Lulu's lips, then putting an arm round Grace, caressed her in like manner.

”Now make yourselves neat for the dinner-table, daughters,” he said, ”and after the meal, if you wish you may spend the whole afternoon in going over the house and grounds.”

”Oh, thank you, papa,” they exclaimed, looking full of delight.

”Lu! Lu!” called Polly from the sitting room, ”what you 'bout? Polly wants a cracker.”

”O Polly, I beg your pardon; but you have been so quiet ever since I came in that I really forgot all about you,” laughed Lulu, running toward the cage, followed by her father and Grace. ”So you want a cracker, do you?”

”You shall have it, Polly,” the captain said, opening the door of a small cupboard where things of that sort were wont to be kept. ”Yes, here is a paper of them,” taking one out and handing it to the parrot, who promptly took it in one claw, and, standing on the other foot, began biting off bits and disposing of them with a comically serious air and evident enjoyment.

Just then the little ones came running in, eager to see Polly and hear her talk. But she was too much absorbed with her cracker to vouchsafe them a single word.

”Is mamma ready for dinner, Elsie?” the captain asked presently.

”Yes, sir,” answered Violet's own voice from the doorway; ”and there is the bell.”

”Then we will go down at once,” said the captain, picking up Elsie and Ned, and following his wife down the stairs, Lulu and Grace bringing up the rear.

The diningroom looked very attractive as they entered it; there was perfect neatness and order, vases of freshly cut flowers stood here and there, delighting the senses with their beauty and fragrance, and forming a lovely decoration for the table, which presented a most inviting appearance thus ornamented and set out with delicate china, snowy damask, and glittering cut gla.s.s and silver ware.

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