; "and I'll be learning my Bible
verse while we wait for her and papa and the breakfast bell."

Lulu and her father joined them at the same moment.

The captain kissed the little girls all around and presented each with a
pretty little portemonnaie.

Eva thanked him with smiles, blushes and appreciative words; his own two
with hugs and kisses in addition to the thanks given in words.

"Mine's ever so pretty, papa," Lulu said, turning it about in her hands.

"I am glad you are pleased with it," he said, smiling, "but are you
going to be satisfied with looking at the outside? don't you want to
examine the lining also?"

"Why, yes, sir?" opening it. "Oh, oh, it isn't empty!" she laughed,
beginning to take out the contents--two clean, crisp one dollar notes,
and a handful of bright new quarters, dimes and five cent pieces. "Papa,
how kind and generous you are to me!"

Grace had her purse open by this time and found it lined in like manner
with Lulu's. "Dear papa, thank you ever so much," she said, looking up
into his face with eyes full of love and gratitude. "It's a great deal
for me to have beside all the rest you gave me."

"You are both as welcome as possible, my darlings; only make good use of
it, remembering that money is one of the talents for which we must give
account to God at last," he answered to both.

"Eva, my dear," turning to her, "you will find the same in yours, and I
hope will accept it from me as though you were one of my daughters. Do
me the kindness to let me be in some respects, a father to you; since
your own is absent in the happy home to which I trust we are all
traveling."

She was standing near, the present he had given her in her hand. She had
been looking from it to Lulu and Grace, thinking the while how good it
was in the captain to treat her so much like one of his own, and now at
these kind words spoken in tender fatherly tones, both heart and eyes
grew full to overflowing.

He saw that she could not speak for emotion, and taking her hand, drew
her to his knee and kissed her, saying, "Don't try to thank me in words,
my dear; your speaking countenance tells me all you would say."

"What you 'bout?" screamed Polly at that instant, just as if she were
calling the captain to account for his actions.

That made them all laugh; even Evelyn, who had been just ready to cry.
Then the breakfast bell rang and everybody hastened to obey its summons.

Many a "Happy New Year," was exchange