e father and mother together
seconded the invitation.

"Do you really mean it?" said Grace.

"Indeed we do," said all three.

"And when do you sail?" asked Grace.

"Early, day after to-morrow. That is, we leave here early and sail at
noon," said Mr. Hobart. "We have two full staterooms engaged. You can
room with Lottie"--the young lady's name--"and be companion for us all."

"I will be ready day after to-morrow morning," said Grace, seriously.

"Not in earnest?" said Rose.

"In sober earnest," said Grace.

"To New York?" said Browning.

"To New York, and may be farther," was the reply.

"As far as Ohio, I guess," said Jack.

"May be as far as Ohio," said Grace, and she smiled as she spoke.

The Hobarts were delighted, but Jack and Rose looked serious.

"It is a long way, Gracie," said Jack.

"A fearfully long way," said Rose.

"Suppose, Rose, that Jack was as far away, would you think it a long way
to go to see him?" asked Grace.

"O, Gracie! No, no," said Rose.

"When did you hear last from your husband?" asked Hobart.

"This afternoon," said Grace.

"And how long, Grace, before he will be in England?" asked Jack.

It was the first time any question had been asked of her more than the
question if she had heard, and if he was well.

"About one hundred days, I think," said Grace; "that is," she added, "if
I go and find him and bring him home."

Next day Grace made all her arrangements and was ready to leave early on
the following morning. Parting with her mother was her great sorrow, but
the mother approved of her going, and the good-byes were not so sad as
though they did not expect to be soon again reunited.

They made the voyage to New York in nine days. Remaining one day in that
city, they started West; stopped one day in Chicago, and reached San
Francisco seventeen days from Liverpool.

Hobart had been in San Francisco before, and wanted to stop at the Lick
House, but Grace insisted that her friends liked the Occidental best; so
they went to the Occidental.

Four days after reaching San Francisco, the Hobarts sailed for Australia.
They urged Grace to accompany them, but she declined, saying, with a
smile, that she believed for the present she preferred the solid earth to
the unstable sea. She saw her friends aboard the steamer; then returning
to the hotel, sent for the manager, Major H.; explained that she expected
her husband by the first steamer from Australia; that he did not expect