atitude?"

"If you had any intention of taking me I might be more grateful," Jean
answered, fastening the gown of the doll she was dressing, and holding
her at arm's length to enjoy the effect.

"But I am entirely serious, my young friend; I never was more so. I am
imploring you to go to Italy, for go I must, and I have no mind to
leave you behind."

"To Italy? To real Italy, Uncle Bob? Do you mean it?"

"I surely do, dear child. Behold me, solemn as an owl. Ah, now you
begin to listen. It would serve you right if I should refuse to take
such an ungrateful lady. What say you? Should you like to go?"

"Like it! I'd love it! I've never been on an ocean trip in all my
life."

"You may not care to go on another after you've been on this one,"
chuckled Uncle Bob. "However, the fact remains that we are going. I
have charge of decorating a very beautiful house in the suburbs and I
am going over to Florence to order some marble stairways and
fireplaces. That is my excuse. Incidentally we can make a pleasant trip
out of it and see many places besides Italy."

"Could we go to Venice?" burst out Jean. "Venice is in Italy, isn't it?
I'd like of all places to see Venice with its water streets and its
gondolas."

"Yes, honey, you certainly shall see Venice and ride in all the
gondolas you like."

"Splendid!" cried Jean, clapping her hands. "When can we start? Let's
go right away," and springing up from the couch she whirled toward the
door.

"Slowly, slowly!" protested Uncle Bob. "Come back here to me a moment,
you flyaway. Many things must be decided before we sail for Italy. In
the first place there is Hannah; what shall we do with her?"

"Oh, Hannah must come along with us," Jean answered. "She'll have to.
We never could think of going to Europe and leaving good old Hannah,
who is so kind to both of us, now could we? Besides, she has to fix my
hair every morning, and mend my clothes. I'd be coming to pieces all
over Europe if Hannah didn't go."

"Well, then, that settles it. Hannah goes. I never could consent to
escort a young lady who might drop to pieces at any moment and strew
her belongings all along the route from Italy to Scotland. Now about
Esther, the waitress. She wants to go West and visit her brother; this
will be just the chance. Suppose we tie a long string to her and let
her go. Then we come to Beacon."

"Beacon would go with us, of course," Jean replied quickly. "You may be
sure I'd never leave Bea