ss Daisy ran to him and seized his arm.

"Father," she cried, "isn't it all lovely? Isn't it just a dream? Look
at the two cottages. Look at the cliffs and the blue water. Did you
ever see such blue----? and now----"

The ship swung slowly round the south end of the reef. The house on
the promontory came full in view.

"And now look at the castle. It's too fairy for anything, isn't it?"

"Reminds me quite a bit," said Donovan, "of the hotel at the south end
of the Marine Parade at Atlantic City. Kind of fanciful."

"It's a dream come true," said Miss Daisy.

Mr. Donovan turned round. Behind him, in a respectful attitude, stood
the major domo. A little further back, grouped together, were his ten
fellow-servants, all in respectful attitudes.

"Beg pardon, sir," said the major domo.

The man, though engaged by Miss Daisy, had from the first refused to
recognize her as his mistress. The negotiations in Southampton about
the cabin had been carried on with Mr. Donovan. It was to Mr. Donovan
that he spoke now.

"Beg pardon, sir," he said, "but does the family propose to reside
here for any length of time?"

Mr. Donovan waved his hand towards Miss Daisy. She realized that, as
queen of the island, it was her business to decide the movements of
the court.

"Always," she said. "For ever and ever and ever. I shall never live
anywhere else, and when I die I'll be buried here."

"In that case, sir," said the major domo, still ignoring the queen, "I
must request, in the name of self and the rest of the staff, to return
to England at once, sir, and if I may add a suggestion, sir, I'd say
by rail. This ship is not what we've been accustomed to in places
where we've lived before."

"Well," said Mr. Donovan, "you can go back if you like. Salissa is a
free state, though not a republic; but there's liable to be some delay
if you wait for a train."

"You nasty beasts!" said Miss Daisy. "You've spoiled the whole thing
now by being cats. Just when everything was beautiful and I was so
happy. I'd like to tell you what I think of you all. Oh, I do wish Mr.
Phillips was here. He'd----Oh, father, would you? I'm sure you could."

Mr. Donovan looked at her and waited. In time, such was his
experience, Miss Daisy usually explained what she wanted pretty
clearly.

"I once heard Mr. Phillips talking to one of the sailors," she said.
"He didn't know I was listening, of course. The sailor had been
messing things about in a wrong way