to hear my boy avow his attachment to the glorious old flag
his father has sailed under for so many years. I trust he will always be
ready to do so when such an avowal is called for, as long as he lives."

"Yes, indeed, sir! It's the most beautiful flag that waves, isn't it?"

"None to compare to it in my esteem," his father answered with a pleased
laugh.

CHAPTER IX.

Before morning the weather had moderated very much, a thaw had set in,
and the snow was going rapidly.

"Well, what sports shall we contrive for to-day?" asked Herbert, at the
breakfast table. "Certainly both skating and snow fights are entirely
out of the question."

"Entirely!" echoed Harold; "all other outdoor sports also; for a
drizzling rain is beginning to fall, and the melting snow has covered
roads and paths with several inches of water."

"We have some games for the house which you have not tried yet," said
their mother; "'Table croquet,' 'Parlor Quoits,' 'Parlor Ring Toss,'
Jack-straws and others."

"And I have a new game that papa gave me this Christmas--'The Flags of
all Nations,'" remarked Lulu. "I brought it with me."

"We will be glad to see it," said Harold.

"It is probably improving as well as entertaining," remarked Zoe. "I
should judge so from the name."

"I think you will find it both," said the captain.

"So you would 'Corn and Beans,' too, Aunt Zoe," said Max. "Papa gave it
to me, and we tried it Christmas eve at home, and found it very funny."

The morning and most of the afternoon were occupied with these games,
which seemed to afford much enjoyment to the children and young people.

It was the winding up of their Christmas festivities at Ion, and all
were in the mood for making it as gay and mirthful as possible.
Some--the Raymonds among others--would leave shortly after tea, the rest
by or before bedtime.

They finished the sports of the afternoon with two charades. The older
people were the spectators, the younger ones the actors.

Mendicant was the word chosen for the first.

A number of the boys and girls came trooping into the parlor, each
carrying an old garment, thimble on finger, and needle and thread in
hand. Seating themselves they fell to work.

Zoe was patching an old coat, Lulu an apron, Gracie a doll's dress; Eva
and Rosie each had a worn stocking drawn over her hand, and was busily
engaged in darning it; the other girls were mending gloves, the boys old
shoes; and as they worked they