announced.

Madge opened the box to find an exquisite miniature of her friend, Mrs.
Curtis. It was painted on ivory and was about the size of a locket.
Around it were exquisite pearls, and it hung on a slender gold chain.

The little captain's eyes filled with tears as she looked at it. "I
would rather have it than anything in the world," she murmured. In the
lining of the box Madge found a note, written on a card: "For my Madge,"
it read, "whom I shall never cease to wish to have for my daughter."

"I have something to tell you, too," added Tom. "My sister, Madeleine,
is going to be married."

Madge nearly dropped her gift in her excitement. "Married! Madeleine!
What do you mean? Whom is she going to marry? Why didn't you tell me
before?" she demanded, all in one breath. "Do hurry and tell me."

Tom laughed. "You'll never guess. She is going to marry the Judge
Hilliard who rescued you and Phil the night that that wretched Mike
Muldoon put you out of his sailboat. Judge Hilliard has always been a
friend of ours, you know. At first Madeleine was just grateful to him
for what he did for her. Afterward"--Tom colored--"I suppose she fell in
love with him. I am not quite sure as to what it means to 'fall in
love.' But Madeleine isn't going to be married for a year. Then she
wants the four houseboat girls to be her bridesmaids."

Madge clasped her hands in rapture. "Won't it be fun!" she exclaimed.
"But do hurry on, Tom, or we shall never get the water for the
lemonade."

They were almost back with their other friends when Tom had finished his
mother's message: "When Madeleine is married, Mother means to ask you
again to be her adopted daughter, Madge," continued Tom; "and you know
how much I want you."

Madge shook her auburn head, her face pale with emotion. "It is too soon
to talk about it, Tom," she answered. "You see, when I finish school I
am going first to hunt for my father."

"Madge and Tom, do hurry here this minute!" scolded Phil from her seat
on the grass. "The lemonade is all ready, except pouring on the water,
and we are waiting supper for you."

The two boat parties were in a great circle about the big table cloth,
with Mr. and Mrs. John Randolph at the head as the guests of honor of
the feast.

It was growing dark, but the bushes and trees nearby were strung with
lanterns borrowed from the two boats. The feast was almost over when
Madge whispered something in Tom's ear and Phil nodded emphaticall