children, of course; but if she can
arrange to go along with them, and give Clover a word of advice now and
then, should she need it, I shall be easier in my mind about them."

Clover was only doubtfully grateful when she heard of this arrangement.

"Papa always will persist in thinking that I am a baby still," she said to
Katy, drawing her little figure up to look as tall as possible. "I am
twenty-two, I would have him remember. How do we know what this Mrs.
Watson is like? She may be the most disagreeable person in the world for
all papa can tell."

"I really can't find it in my heart to be sorry that it has happened, papa
looks so much relieved by it," Katy rejoined.

But all dissatisfactions and worries and misgivings took wings and flew
away when, just ten days before the travellers were to start, a new and
delightful change was made in the programme. Ned telegraphed that the
ship, instead of coming to New York, was ordered to San Francisco to
refit, and he wanted Katy to join him there early in June, prepared to
spend the summer; while almost simultaneously came a letter from Mrs.
Ashe, who with Amy had been staying a couple of months in New York, to say
that hearing of Ned's plan had decided her also to take a trip to
California with some friends who had previously asked her to join them.
These friends were, it seemed, the Daytons of Albany. Mr. Dayton was a
railroad magnate, and had the control of a private car in which the party
were to travel; and Mrs. Ashe was authorized to invite Katy, and Clover
and Phil also, to go along with them,--the former all the way to
California, and the others as far as Denver, where the roads separated.

This was truly delightful. Such an offer was surely worth a few days'
delay. The plan seemed to settle itself all in one minute. Mrs. Watson,
whom every one now regretted as a complication, was the only difficulty;
but a couple of telegrams settled that perplexity, and it was arranged
that she should join them on the same train, though in a different car. To
have Katy as a fellow-traveller, and Mrs. Ashe and Amy, made a different
thing of the long journey, and Clover proceeded with her preparations in
jubilant spirits.

CHAPTER V.

CAR FORTY-SEVEN.

It is they who stay behind who suffer most from leave-takings. Those who
go have the continual change of scenes and impressions to help them to
forget; those who remain must bear as best they may the dull heavy sense
o