fternoon with Betty Johnson to Sankaty Lighthouse, and went up
in the tower and outside too."

"Oh, Lulu!" cried Grace, "how could you dare to do so?"

"I did, anyway," said Lulu; "and you know I was very ill-tempered for
two days afterward; so when papa knew it all he thought he ought to
punish me, and he did."

"How?"

"Oh, Grace! don't you know? can't you guess? It was when he and I stayed
back while all the rest went to the beach, that evening after Betty's
friend told of seeing me at Sankaty."

Grace drew a long breath. "Oh, Lu," she said pityingly, putting her arms
lovingly about her sister, "I'm so sorry for you! How could you bear it?
Did he hurt you very much?"

"Oh, yes, terribly; but I'm glad he did it (though I wouldn't for
anything let anybody know it but you), because I'd feel so mean if I
hadn't paid somehow for my badness. Papa was so good and kind to me--he
always is--and I had been behaving so hatefully to him.

"And he wasn't in a bit of a passion with me. I believe, as he told me,
he did hate to punish me, and only did it to help me to learn to conquer
my temper."

"And to be obedient, too?"

"Yes; the punishment was for that too, he said. But now don't you think
I have reason to feel worse about his going away just now than you?"

"Yes," admitted Grace; "I'd feel ever so badly if I'd done anything to
make dear papa sad and troubled; and I think I should be frightened to
death if he was going to whip me."

"No, you wouldn't," said Lulu, "for you would know papa wouldn't hurt
you any more than he thought necessary for your own good. Now let me
help you dress, for it must be near breakfast time."

"Oh, thank you; yes, I'll have to hurry. Do you love papa as well as
ever, Lu?"

"Better," returned Lulu, emphatically; "it seems odd, but I do. I
shouldn't though if I thought he took pleasure in beating me, or
punishing me in any way."

"I don't b'lieve he likes to punish any of us," said Grace.

"I _know_ he doesn't," said Lulu. "And it isn't any odder that I should
love him in spite of his punishments, than that he should love me in
spite of all my naughtiness. Yes, I do think, Gracie, we have the best
father in the world."

"'Course we have," responded Grace; "but then we don't have him half the
time; he's 'most always on his ship," she added tearfully.

"Are you ready for breakfast, dears?" asked a sweet voice at the door.

"Yes, Grandma Elsie," they answered, hastening to claim t