numbers beyond the original four. Of all
this, Daisy cared just for one thing; that Nora was come and was to go
in the boat with her, and no other. The meeting between the two
children, on the steps of Melbourne, was most joyous.

"O Nora! I'm so glad you have come!"--and, "O Daisy! I'm so glad to be
here!"--and a small host of small questions and answers, that indeed
meant a great deal, but would not read for much.

"O Nora, isn't it nice!" said Daisy, as they stood on the steps, while
the carriages waited, below before the door.

"It's grand," said Nora. "Why aunt Frances says we shall be gone all
day."

"To be sure we shall," said Daisy. "Papa is going to fish; and so is
Preston, and Dr. Sandford and other people, I suppose; and some of the
men take their tackle along too. There is nice fish in the Lake."

"What men do you mean?" said Nora.

"O, the men that manage the boat and carry the baskets; there are ever
so many baskets to go, you know; and the men must carry them; because
the path won't let a wagon go."

"Who is going to carry you?" said Dr. Sandford coming out behind them.

"Me?" said Daisy.

"Yes."

"Why I do not want anybody to carry me, Dr. Sandford."

"Don't you? I do. And I shall want two men to do it. Whom will you have?
I have arranged a mountain chair for you, Daisy."

"A chair!" said Daisy. How could that be? And then she saw in Dr.
Sandford's wagon, a chair to be sure; a common, light, cane-bottomed
arm-chair; with poles sticking out before and behind it very oddly. She
looked up at the doctor, and Nora demanded what that was?

"Something like the chairs they use in the mountains of Switzerland, to
carry ladies up and down."

"To carry me?" said Daisy.

"For that purpose. Now see whom you will have to do it."

Daisy and Nora ran away together to consult her father. The matter was
soon arranged. James the footman, and Michael the coachman, were to go
to carry baskets and help manage the boat; James being something of a
sailor. Now Logan and Sam were pressed into the service; the latter to
take James's business, as porter, and leave the latter free to be a
chair-bearer.

"I don't see how the boat is to carry all the people," Nora remarked.

"O yes," said Daisy, "it is a big boat; it will hold everybody, I guess;
and it goes with a sail, Nora. Won't that be nice? Papa knows how to
manage it."

"It will want a very large boat to take us all," Nora persisted. "I went
out with Ma