splayed on all occasions as yours is."

Lucilla colored, but was silent, fearing she might speak too warmly in
defence of her favorite banner should she attempt a reply; but Chester
took it up.

"Miss Austin must remember," he said, speaking in calm, polite tones,
"that ours is a very large country, to which immigrants from other lands
are constantly flocking; and they, as well as the ignorant among
ourselves, need to have constantly kept before them the fact that we,
though spread over so many States, form but one nation; for otherwise our
Union could not be maintained; we must continually impress upon all our
people that this one glorious nation is never to be separated into parts;
and the flag is the emblem of our Union; a symbol that is unmistakable;
and so it is displayed as the chief glory of our nation; and therefore we
love it and cannot see too much of it."

Even as he spoke the sun neared the horizon, all on the _Dolphin's_ deck
rose to their feet, and as he sank out of sight, the firing of a gun from
the _Illinois_ announcing the fact, saluted the flag as, at the same
moment, it came fluttering down from its lofty perch.

"Thank you, for your explanation, Mr. Dinsmore," Miss Austin said
pleasantly, as they resumed their seats; "it has given me an entirely new
view of the matter, so that I now think you Americans are quite right in
your devotion to your flag, and your constant display of it. And this
Fair," she went on, "is wonderful--the White City a perfect fairyland;
especially at night, with its blaze of electrical lights and its many
colored electric fountains."

"So we all think," said Harold Travilla. "Have you been in the Electric
Building yet?"

"Not yet," she replied, and her brother added: "But we intend going. The
evening is the best time for a sight of its wonders, I presume?"

"Yes; we have planned to go to-night, and would be glad to have you
accompany us."

The invitation, overheard by the older people and cordially endorsed by
the captain, was promptly accepted by the three Austins, and as the shades
of evening began to fall, all but the little ones, already in their nests,
returned to the shore and were presently in the Electrical Building,
enjoying to the full its magical splendor.

Croly was devoting himself to Rosie Travilla, Frank Dinsmore endeavoring
to make himself useful and entertaining to Grace Raymond and Evelyn
Leland, while his brother and Percy Landreth, Jr., vied with