past your usual hour for retiring, and as I want
you to feel fresh and bright for to-morrow's pleasure, you, too, may bid
me good-night and go at once to your berth."

"Oh, yes, sir, that will be the best, I know," she said, rising promptly
from the seat she had taken, and with a loving look up into his face--for
he was close at her side now. "What a happy thing it is for me that I have
such a kind, wise father to take care of me!"

"A father whose strong desire it certainly is to make you and all his
children as happy as possible," he said, laying a hand on her head and
looking fondly down into her eyes. "Good-night, daughter, and don't
hesitate to call me if anything should go wrong with you or Grace."

"Am I also under orders to retire, sir?" asked Violet with a mischievous
smile up into his face, as Lulu bade good-night to the rest of the company
and disappeared down the companion-way.

"Not from me," he said, pleasantly taking a seat at her side as he spoke.
"Have I not told you many times that my wife does what she pleases? At
least, if she fails to do so it is in consequence of no order from me."

"No; you have never given me one yet, and I believe I should like you to
do so for once that I may see how it feels," she added with a low, musical
laugh, slipping her hand confidingly into his.

"Perhaps you might not find it particularly agreeable," he returned,
pressing the little hand tenderly in his. "But just to satisfy you I may
try it one of these days. You are not disappointed in the Fair so far?"

"No, no, not in the least! Oh, how lovely it is! and what a beautiful view
we have from here! How delighted our little Elsie and Ned will be with it
all to-morrow. I hardly know how to wait for the time to come when I can
see and share their pleasure."

But now the others were saying good-night and going down to their
state-rooms, and the captain remarked laughingly that he thought the
longed-for time would seem to come sooner if he and she should follow
their good example.

"So it will," returned Violet, promptly rising and slipping her hand into
his arm.

She went first to her mother's state-room, and the door being opened in
answer to her gentle rap, "Are you quite comfortable, mamma, dear?" she
asked. "Is there anything I can do or furnish to make you more so?"

"I am perfectly comfortable and I need nothing but a good night's rest,
Vi, dear," was the smiling response. "Something which I want you to b