digestions!" added Mrs. Campbell,
rolling up her eyes in horror. "Roast pig in this weather!"

But Laura turned to her younger sister with enthusiasm.

"Do look at ma! Did you ever see her so bright and jolly? She looks
downright pretty. She can hold her own better than I thought she
could."

"You are seeing her under altogether new conditions, you know," said
Mrs. Campbell sweetly, as she stepped off with light tread and
non-committal face towards a merrily-laughing group, further on.

"Now, what did she mean by that?" asked Janet in a puzzled tone. "I do
wish Zaidee wouldn't be so mysterious!"

"Mysterious?" snapped Laura, who was quicker than her sister. "Why not
wish she needn't be so hateful?"

Yet she followed the woman, who could always lead in spite of her
peculiar disposition, because of innate charm and tact.

They found the merriment to be over the fact that Mr. Lawrence had the
smallest score, and must accept his own prize, already in the hands of
Mr. Malcolm.

"Oh, that's too bad!" he cried, weary from his exertions and merriment.
"Why rub it in so hard? Is it not enough to be beaten by these
youngsters--must I also be made the laughing-stock of passengers and
crew? Ah! 'tis indeed a cruelty to load a falling man!"

"Well, uncle, if you're going to quote Wolsey, keep on," laughed his
niece mischievously. "'I charge thee fling away ambition!' You see
you have soared too high, my lord."

"_Et tu Brute_?" He turned upon her quickly. "Well, well, 'complete
my shame.' Where is the prize orator, anyhow?"

"Here, here!" called Hope, coming rapidly forward from a conference
with Mr. Malcolm; and amidst a sudden hush she said in a gentle,
serious tone, as if reluctantly discharging an imperative duty,

"The prize we have to offer you needs no explanation. As it is
familiar to you I will only say it appropriately illustrates one word
you have amply understood to-day, and that word is--_whipped_!"

She held aloft one of those clock-work toys one may pick up in Germany,
or Switzerland--a severe dame in a flapping cap, with a youngster
across her knee whom she vigorously belabors with a neat little bundle
of switches. Mr. Lawrence took it with meek 'Thank you,' and amidst
the laughter, explained,

"I bought the thing as an object-lesson for a friend at home who, does
not believe in corporal punishment for her spoiled child, and to-day
thought I would divert it to the purpose of a consola