When it was time for the children to retire, he took her and Grace to the house.  At the door he bent down and kissed Grace good-night, saying, “I shall not wait to see you in your bed, but shall come in to look at you before I go to mine.”

“May I have a kiss too, papa?” Lulu asked in a wishful, half-tremulous voice, as though a trifle uncertain whether her request would be granted.

“Yes, my dear little daughter, as many as you wish,” he replied, taking her in his arms and bestowing them with hearty good-will and affection.

“I’m sorry—­oh, very sorry for all my naughtiness, papa,” she whispered in his ear while clinging about his neck.

“It is all forgiven now,” he said, “and I trust will never be repeated.”

Lulu was very good, submissive, and obedient during the remainder of her father’s stay among them.

She was greatly distressed when, two weeks later, orders came for him to join his ship the following day.  She clung to him with devoted, remorseful affection and distress in prospect of the impending separation, while he treated her with even more than his wonted kindness, drawing her often caressingly to his knee, and his voice taking on a very tender tone whenever he spoke to her.

It was in the evening he left them, for he was to drive over to Nantucket Town and pass the night there in order to take the early boat leaving for the mainland the next morning.

Mr. Dinsmore went with him, intending to go to Boston for a few days, perhaps on to New York also, then return to Siasconset.

Harold, Herbert, Bob, and Max set out that same evening for their camping ground; so that Mr. Edward Travilla was the only man of the party left to take care of the women and children.

However, they would all have felt safe enough in that very quiet spot, or anywhere on the island, without any such protection.

Lulu went to bed that night full of remorseful regret that through her own wilfulness she had lost many hours of her father’s prized society, besides grieving and displeasing him.

Oh, if she could but go back and live the last few weeks over, how differently she would behave!  She would not give him the least cause to be displeased with or troubled about her.

As often before, she felt a great disgust at herself, and a longing desire to be good and gentle like Gracie, who never seemed to have the slightest inclination to be quick-tempered or rebellious.

“She’s so sweet and dear!” murmured Lulu half aloud, and reaching out a hand to softly touch the little sister sleeping quietly by her side; “I should think papa would love her ten times better than me; but he says he doesn’t, and he always tells the truth.  I wish I’d been made like Gracie; but I’m ever so glad he can love me in spite of all my badness.  Oh, I am determined to be good the next time he’s at home, so that he will enjoy his visit more.  It was a burning shame in me to spoil this one so; I’d like to beat you for it, Lulu Raymond, and I’m glad he didn’t let you escape.”