“Thank you, papa; I’m very willing,” replied Grace, clasping his neck with her small arms.

“Lulu, shall I say good night to you first?” he asked, smiling down at his eldest daughter, standing by his side; “as you have Eva with you, you will perhaps not care for the usual bit of good night chat with your father?”

“Yes, indeed I do care for it, papa!” cried Lulu.  “Why, I sha’n’t have another chance this year!  I wouldn’t miss it for anything!”

“Then you shall not,” he said, looking both pleased and amused; “that sounds as though the next opportunity were far in the distance.”

He passed out of the room as he spoke, and on up the wide stairway, Lulu and Eva following, each with an arm about the other’s waist.

“Those talks must be so delightful,” remarked the latter in a low tone, and with a slight sigh, “I’m very glad you don’t let me hinder them, dear Lu.”

“I knew you wouldn’t want me to,” said Lulu; “you are always so kind and thoughtful for others; and though papa sometimes gives me a quarter of an hour or more, when we have a great deal to say to each other, I think he won’t stay more than a minute or two to-night! so that it won’t keep me long away from you.”

“Oh please don’t hurry for my sake,” said Eva, adding softly, “You know I, too, shall be glad of a few minutes alone with my best Friend.  So if you like, I will go into the little tower room while your papa is with you.”

“You can have both that and my bedroom to yourself, dear,” returned Lulu, “for I shall receive papa in the little sitting room that is Gracie’s and mine.”

They had reached the upper hall.  The captain passed into Gracie’s bedroom, Lulu into her own, Eva with her.

“Such a sweet, pretty room!” Eva said, glancing around it; “I am always struck with that thought on coming into it, though I have seen it so often.”

“Yes,” returned Lulu, her face lighting up with pleasure, “I think it so myself.  Our dear father is constantly adding pretty things here and there to our room, and doing oh so much to make his children happy!  Yet, would you believe it, Eva?  I am sometimes both ill-tempered and disobedient to him.”

“Not now! not lately?” Evelyn said half in assertion, half inquiringly and with a look of surprise.

“Yes,” Lulu replied in a low, remorseful tone, her eyes downcast, her face flushing painfully; “only last month, one day Max was teasing me and I was in very bad humor, so answered him very crossly.  Papa happened to be in the next room and overheard it all, and called to us both to come to him.  His voice sounded stern, and I felt angry and rebellious.  Max, never does feel so, I believe, anyway he’s always obedient, and he went at once, but I waited to be called a second time, and—­O Eva, I’m dreadfully, dreadfully ashamed! but I feel as if I must tell you because I can’t bear to have you think me so much better than I am.”