“Home, sweet home!” exclaimed Lucilla as their carriage turned into the driveway on that first evening after the Dolphin had come into port. “Home, sweet home! There’s no place like home.”

“Except Woodburn, our dear old home,” returned Max in jesting tone.

“No; Woodburn and Sunnyside-so near together, and their inhabitants so nearly related—seem to make but one home to me.”

“And to us all, I think,” said Evelyn.

“And you are right, I am sure,” said Chester, as the carriage drew up before the entrance. “Ah, here we are at the very threshold of our Sunnyside! Wife, brother and sister, a glad welcome home to you all.” With the last word he threw open the carriage door, sprang out upon the veranda steps, turned and helped Lucilla to alight. Max, his wife and baby followed.

A joyous welcome was given them all by the waiting servants, and they passed in, each couple to their own part of the commodious and beautiful dwelling.

“Welcome home, my darling,” said Max to his wife. “Welcome home, baby dear, papa’s sweet little pet,” taking the infant in his arms as he spoke. “Oh, Eva, my love, how rich we are, with her added to all our other lesser blessings!”

“Indeed, we are! She is a great blessing,” said Eva, caressing the child as he held it in his arms. “To me she seems more than all others taken together-except her father,” she added, smiling up into his face.

“And to me she is the next one to her mother,” responded Max, bestowing a very loverlike caress upon his wife as she stood close at his side. “How good my father has been to provide us with this lovely home, so near to his that we seem to belong to his family still.”

“Yes,” she said with emotion. “And what a dear father he is! I am so glad and thankful that he seems to look upon me as his very own daughter. I had been so hungry for a father after my own was taken to the better land.”

“Yes, dearest, I think I can understand that hunger, though I have been spared the sad experience,” replied Max, his tone speaking even more sympathy than his words.

“And, oh,” he added, “I want my little wife to be the most blessed, happy woman in the world.”

“I ought to be; and I think I am when my husband is with me,” she returned with a smile of love and joy. “What is it, Kitty?” as a servant came in, looking as if she had some pleasant news to impart.

“Why, missus, dere’s sumfin’ jus’ come over from Woodburn. De cap’n he sends it for de baby,” replied the woman, grinning broadly as she spoke.

“Ah, is that so?” asked Max. “Where and what is it?”

“Sumfin’ for de baby to ride in, sah, an’ it’s out on de poach,” she answered, hurriedly leading the way, Eva and Max following, he with the baby still in his arms.

They presently found on the front veranda as handsome a baby carriage as either of them had ever seen, and were both delighted with it. It was ready furnished with pillows, and a beautiful afghan of a most delicate shade of baby-blue silk lined with white silk, covered with white duchess lace, with blue ribbon bows on each corner, to match the umbrella, it being of the same shade, and also covered with duchess lace. On a corner of the afghan was pinned a bit of paper bearing the words: “From Grandmamma Vi to little Mary Raymond.” On the under side of the afghan were the initials “M. R.” in blue embroidery silk.

Max laid the baby in, Evelyn covered her carefully with the afghan, and for some minutes Max drew her back and forth on the veranda, she cooing as if enjoying the ride.

Chester and Lucilla had quite a good deal to tell each other of their experiences during the past weeks of separation, and were chatting and laughing merrily in her pretty boudoir, when some slight sounds made by the baby and its parents and carriage excited their curiosity and brought them hurrying downstairs to learn what was going on there.

“Oh, how pretty!” cried Lucilla, as she caught sight of the little vehicle. “How fine for our darling baby! Where did it come from?”

“It is father’s gift,” answered Max; “the dear, kind father who always thinks of everything he can possibly do to add to the happiness of his children.”

“He does, indeed!” exclaimed Evelyn. “Nobody could have a better, kinder father.”

“We are all going over to Woodburn this evening,” said Max, “and we will take baby in her carriage.”

“She, as queen of the party, will ride, and the rest of us will walk,” laughed Lucilla. “Oh, you little darling, auntie hopes you will always be able to ride when you want to.”

“Doubtless she will if it is best for her,” said Max. “It looks now as if she were born for easy times, but no one can tell what may be in store for either us or her in the future.”

“Father would say, ‘Don’t allow yourself to be troubled with anxiety in regard to the future; remember the teaching of the Thirty-seventh Psalm, Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed,’” said Lucilla.

“Yes,” agreed Evelyn, “if we all had perfect trust in Him, I am sure we should be free from anxiety and very happy.”

“I am sure you are right about that,” said Chester, “and if we practise it—that teaching—we shall be a happy set.”

“I hear our call to supper,” said Lucilla. “Eva, won’t you and Max come in and sup with us?”

“Do, friends and relatives; we will be very glad to have you partake with us,” said Chester.

“Thank you both,” said Max. “I think our supper is just about ready, but if you will allow its dishes to be added to yours we may share with each other, and probably enjoy doing so.”

All agreed that that was a good idea, and the plan was immediately carried out.

The Sunnyside folks were not more glad to see their home than were the Woodburn people to reach theirs. The captain’s carriage contained, not his own family only, but his future son-in-law also. Harold was bidding an affectionate good-bye to Grace on the veranda at Ion when her father said laughingly:

“Don’t indulge in adieus just here and now, Harold, but come with us to Woodburn. Who can tell but there may be a patient there longing for a sight of Dr. Harold Travilla’s face?”

“Thank you, captain; a kind invitation, and flattering to my medical and surgical skill and supposed desire to be helpful to others; but I should be sorry to crowd you.”

He and her father were helping Grace into the vehicle as he spoke.

“There’s abundance of room, Harold,” said Violet; “get right in and take that seat beside Grace.”

“Yes, obey that lady’s orders as I do,” laughed the captain.

“I thought I had outgrown that business,” laughed Harold; “but I will obey in a moment, when I have said good-night to mother and the rest.”

That did not take long, and the captain’s “Plenty of time for that” seemed to afford satisfactory permission. In five minutes the carriage was on its way down the avenue.

“Now, Tiny, you are on your way to that pretty home I’ve been telling you about,” said Elsie, stroking and patting her little pet monkey.

“What are you telling her for, Elsie?” asked Ned. “Why don’t you wait and let her be surprised when she gets there? Surprises are nice. I always like to be surprised.”

“Something of a mistake, Ned,” said his uncle. “Some surprises are far from agreeable.”

“What kind, uncle? please tell me about some.”

“Well, I have heard of it happening to a man to learn that all of a sudden he had lost all his money.”

“Oh, that’s not so bad. He could earn more.”

“Maybe he could; but if so, he’d a good deal rather add that to what he had before than have only that.”

“There must be a good many kinds of surprises,” returned the little fellow thoughtfully, “and I’d rather have some other kind than that. When papa gave me my pony, that was a very pleasant surprise. Oh, I was just delighted.”

“And these tee-tees were a very, very agreeable surprise to both of us,” said Elsie, patting and stroking hers, seated in her lap.

“And I’m thinking Eva and Max will soon have a very agreeable surprise,” said Grace, smiling up into her father’s face.

“I hope so,” he said, returning the smile.

“Oh, what about?” queried Ned, with tone and look of curiosity and excitement.

“No doubt you will learn when they—your brothers and sisters—come over to Woodburn this evening,” answered his father.

“Will I?” cried Ned. “Oh, I hope they’ll come early; at least, before Elsie and I have to go to bed.”

At that everybody laughed, and his mother quietly remarked that she was surprised to find him exhibiting so much curiosity, as it seemed to be understood that that quality belonged rather to women and girls than to men and boys.

“Quite a mistake and slander, my dear,” laughed her husband, then changed the subject of conversation by calling attention to a new building going up on a neighboring plantation.

A few minutes later their carriage turned into the Woodburn driveway, and presently they were leaving it for the veranda of the spacious and lordly dwelling where the servants were assembled, Christine, their lady-like housekeeper, at their head, to welcome the returned travellers to their home. Everybody seemed full of joy over it; and the children were delighted with the curiosity shown in regard to their new pets and the to-do made over them.

A bountiful and most appetizing repast had been prepared for their reception, and they presently seated themselves about the table. A blessing was asked, and the captain began carving a fine turkey, Violet pouring the tea. The table was charmingly furnished with beautiful china, cut-glass, silver, flowers, and dishes of most appetizing-looking food.

“It is really very pleasant to be at home and at one’s own table again,” remarked the captain, after an appreciative glance over the board.

“Whose table was it that you sat down to on the Dolphin?” laughed Violet.

“My own, I believe,” smiled the captain; “but, somehow, I feel more at home here.”

“It is delightful to be here; but I miss Lu,” sighed Grace.

“Well, daughter, she is not far off. Keep up your spirits; she will probably be here in the course of an hour.”

“Husband, brother, sister, baby and all with her, I presume,” added Harold sportively. “And baby will probably come in her own coach, like the grand lady she is,” laughed Violet. “I shall enjoy seeing her in it.”

“Resting on and covered by the beautiful furnishings provided by your generosity and taste, mamma,” said Grace, with a loving, appreciative look at her young stepmother.

“Are we going to have a party to-night?” asked Ned.

“Not exactly,” said his father; “at least, it will be only a home party of what I call our own immediate family—my children and grandchild.”

“Many thanks, my dear captain, that I seem to be included in the number forming that happy family,” said Harold, with a bow and pleased smile.

“Yes,” laughed Violet, “but don’t imagine that I am going to permit you to call me mamma, considering that you are my younger brother.”

“So I am, Mrs. Raymond; but by no means young enough to be an obedient son to you,” Harold returned in playful tone, “or, indeed, any son at all. It will be well enough to bear that relationship to your husband, but fairly ludicrous to pretend to bear it to so young and fair a lady as yourself.”

“I should think the fairness would make it a trifle less objectionable, if anything could,” returned Violet with mischievous look and smile.

“Really, those mutual relationships make small difference, except as they may affect your docility when you are the patient and I the physician,” returned Harold gravely.

“All of us obey your orders when you are the doctor, uncle,” remarked Elsie. “Sister Grace never will do a thing that you tell her not to.”

“Of course not,” laughed Grace. “Where would be the use of employing a physician, if you didn’t follow his directions?”

At the conclusion of the meal all repaired to the veranda to await the coming of the Sunnyside folk. It was a warm October evening, the grounds looking beautiful in their autumn robes, and there seemed no pleasanter place to lounge in than that, with its abundance of most comfortable settees and chairs.

“It is very nice to be at home again,” said Grace with a happy sigh. “I wouldn’t be willing to give up this dear home for any of the beautiful places I have been in.”

“I am glad you are so well satisfied, daughter,” the captain responded in a pleased tone, “and I hope you will never have less love for your father’s house.”

“Oh, good, good! There they come!” cried Ned, springing to his feet and clapping his hands as the little group was seen approaching from the direction of Sunnyside.

“Yes, children and grandchild,” said the captain, as he and Harold hurried to meet them.

“Many, many thanks, father, for this beautiful and useful gift to our baby daughter,” said Max almost before they had fairly met.

“And not from baby’s father only, but from her mother also,” said Evelyn; “many, many thanks to you and Mamma Vi for both the carriage and its lovely furnishings.”

“Ah, those last are gifts especially from my wife,” returned the captain.

“Yes, oh yes, I know and appreciate it; but, no doubt, they were given with your approval. Ah, Mamma Vi,” as Violet approached, “I hardly know how to thank you enough for your lovely gifts to my baby daughter.”

“Then don’t try,” returned Violet in mirthful tones. “I assure you, the pleasure I found in doing it was reward enough. How is the little dear this evening? Ah, I see she is sound asleep. How nicely her papa must have rolled the little coach along to get her in that condition.”

“She does more sleeping than anything else so far in her life,” laughed Max, looking down admiringly into the sweet, fair baby face resting so quietly on the soft pillow.

The children, following their parents, had met them now.

“Oh, we want to see the dear baby!” they said in excited, but rather hushed, voices. “Let us look at her, Brother Max.”

“Not yet,” he answered. “Let us keep her asleep as long as we can; then when she wakes of herself she will probably be in a pleasant mood. I don’t like to hear a baby cry. Do you?”

They had reached the house, and the gentlemen lifted the coach up into the veranda without waking the young sleeper.

Lucilla was on the veranda, gazing about from side to side.

“Oh, how sweet the dear old home does look!” she cried. “I want to go all over this story and the next just now. May I, father?”

“Certainly, my child. It is your own home now quite as much as it ever was; because you are as much as ever my own dear daughter.”

“Thank you for those kind, loving words, father dear,” she returned with emotion, laying a hand on his shoulder as she stood at his side and giving him a look of ardent affection.

At that he bent his head and kissed her on forehead, cheek and lips.

“It is my turn now, papa,” said Grace sportively, coming up to his other side.

“So it is, my darling,” he returned, repeating for her exactly what he had done to Lucilla.

Elsie had noted it all with interest.

“Now, papa, isn’t it my turn?” she asked, her eyes shining, her lips curling with a smile of love and entreaty.

“Yes, little daughter, yes, indeed! You are no less dear than your older sisters. Come and give and take the caresses papa loves to exchange with you.”

Violet and Evelyn preferred to keep watch over the sleeping babe, but all the others joined in making the circuit of the rooms Lucilla had expressed a desire to see. They found them all in good order, Christine being an excellent housekeeper, and having good and competent servants under her.

“It is delightful to come home to houses so well ordered and neat as this and Sunnyside have proved on this occasion, Mamma Vi,” Lucilla remarked on her return to the veranda.

“Yes, and I think I fully appreciate it,” replied Violet. “You found yours in good order?”

“Perfect. It could not have looked better if I had been there to oversee the work.”

“And I can say just the same of mine,” said Evelyn.