“Your mother is my child, Ned, and I think I shall take care of her,” Mr. Dinsmore said, hastening back to the little crowd still at the water’s edge.

“We will have to let her decide which of us shall have the honor,” said the captain.

“That I won’t,” Mr. Dinsmore said, laughingly, stepping to his daughter’s side and taking her in his arms.

“Now, you two may take care of the younger ones,” he added, with a triumphant glance at his two rivals.

“Ah, Ned, we are completely outwitted,” laughed the captain.

“Yes; with grandpa about one can’t get half a chance to wait upon mother.  Betty, shall I have the honor and pleasure of conveying you aboard of yonder vessel?”

“Yes, thank you; I see Harold and Herbert are taking Rosie and Walter,” she said.  “But I warn you that I am a good deal heavier than Zoe.”

“Nevertheless, I think my strength will prove equal to the exertion,” he returned, as he lifted her from the ground.

Lulu and Grace stood together, hand in hand, Max on Gracie’s other side.

“Take Gracie first, please, papa,” said Lulu; “she is frightened, I believe.”

“Frightened?” he said, stooping to take her in his arms; “there is nothing to be afraid of, darling.  Do you think papa would leave you behind or drop you into the water?”

“No; I know you wouldn’t,” she said, with a little nervous laugh, and clinging tightly about his neck.

“Mayn’t I wade out, papa?” Max called after him.

“Yes; but stay with your sister till I come for her.”

“Where’s my baby, Levis?” asked Violet, laughingly, as he set Grace down by her side.

“The baby!  Sure enough, where is it?” he exclaimed, with an anxious glance toward the shore.

“Ah, there stands the nurse with it in her arms.  You shall have it in yours in a moment.”

“Here’s the baby, papa; please take her first; I don’t mind waiting,” said Lulu, as he stepped ashore again.

He gave her a pleased, approving look.  “That is right; it will be but a minute or two,” he said, as he took the babe and turned away with it.

In a few minutes more, all the passengers were aboard, and they set sail; but they had not gone far when it became evident that something was amiss; they were making no progress.

“What is the matter?” asked several voices, and Violet looked inquiringly at her husband.

“There is no cause for apprehension,” he said; “we are aground, and may possibly have to wait here for the turn of the tide; that’s all.”

“It’s the lowest tide I ever saw,” remarked the captain of the yacht; “we’ll have to lighten her; if some of the heaviest of you will get into the dory, it will help.”

Quite a number immediately volunteered to do so, among them Edward and Zoe, Bob and Betty, Harold and Herbert.  The dory was speedily filled, and then, with a little more exertion the yacht was set afloat.