without having to take the street-cars
or a hack."

"It shall be as the ladies who decide to go with us may wish," he said.

"I think Lulu's plan a very good one," said grandma Elsie, kindly
desirous to see the child gratified.

"And I would greatly prefer it, if I should be one of the party," added
Zoe.

"As I trust you will," returned the captain gallantly. "Gracie,
daughter, it is time little ones like you were in their nests. Bid
good-night, and go."

The child obeyed instantly and cheerfully.

"And I must go back to my baby," Violet remarked, as she rose and left
the room along with the little girl.

"You may go to your room, Lulu," the captain said, in a quiet aside;
"but you need not say good-night to me now: I shall step in to look at
you before I go to mine."

"Yes, papa," she returned, with a glad look, and followed Grace's
example.

"Max, what do you say to a promenade on the veranda with your father?"
Capt. Raymond asked, with a smiling glance at his son.

Max jumped up with alacrity. "That I'd like nothing better, sir," he
said; and they went out together.

"You are pleased with your pony, Max?" the captain said inquiringly,
striking a match and lighting a cigar as he spoke.

"Yes, indeed, papa!" was the enthusiastic reply. "I feel very rich
owning him."

"And mean to be a kind master to him, I trust?"

"Yes, sir; oh, yes, indeed! I don't intend ever to speak a cross word to
him, much less give him a blow."

"He has always been used to kind treatment, I was told, and has nothing
vicious in his disposition," the captain continued, puffing at his
cigar, and pacing the veranda with measured tread, Max keeping close at
his side: "so I think he will always give you satisfaction, if you are
gentle and kind, never ill-treating him in any way."

"I mean to make quite a pet of him, sir," Max said.

Then, with an arch look up into his father's face,--a full moon making
it light enough for each to see the other's countenance quite
distinctly,--"Papa, you are very generous to me, but you never offer me
a cigar."

The captain stopped short in his walk, and faced his son with some
sternness of look and tone. "Max, you haven't learned to smoke? tell me:
have you ever smoked a cigar? or tobacco in any shape?"

"Yes, sir; but"--

"Don't do it again: I utterly and positively forbid it."

"Yes, sir: I'll obey; and, in fact, I have no desire to smoke again: it
was just one cigar I tried; and it mad