Some hours later Violet accidentally overheard part of a conversation between her little sister Rose and Lulu.

“Yes,” Rosie was saying, “mamma gives me fifty cents a week for spending money.”

“Ah, how nice!” exclaimed Lulu.  “Papa often gives us some money, but not regularly, and Max and I have often talked together about how much we would like to have a regular allowance.  I’d be delighted, even if it wasn’t more than ten cents.”

Violet had been wishing to give the children something, and trying to find out what would be most acceptable, so was greatly pleased with the hint given her by this little speech of Lulu’s.

The child came presently to her side to bid her good-night.  Violet put an arm around her, and kissing her affectionately, said, “Lulu, I have been thinking you might like to have an allowance of pocket money, as Rosie has.  Would you?”

“O Mamma Vi!  I’d like it better than anything else I can think of!” cried the little girl, her face sparkling with delight.

“Then you shall have it and begin now,” Violet said, taking out her purse and putting two bright silver quarters into Lulu’s hand.

“Oh, thank you, mamma, how good and kind in you!” cried the child.

“Max shall have the same,” said Violet, “and Gracie half as much for the present.  When she is a little older it shall be doubled.  Don’t you want the pleasure of telling Max, and taking this to him?” she asked, putting another half dollar into Lulu’s hand.

“Oh yes, ma’am!  Thank you very much!”

Max was on the farther side of the room—­a good-sized parlor of the hotel where they were staying—­very much absorbed in a story-book; Lulu approached him softly, a gleeful smile on her lips and in her eyes, and laid his half dollar on the open page.

“What’s that for?” he asked, looking round at her.

“For you; and you’re to have as much every week, Mamma Vi says.”

“O Lu! am I, really?”

“Yes; I too; and Gracie’s to have a quarter.”

“Oh, isn’t it splendid!” he cried, and hurried to Violet to pour out his thanks.

Grandma Elsie, seated on the sofa by Violet’s side, shared with her the pleasure of witnessing the children’s delight.

Our friends had now spent several days in Boston, and the next morning they left for Philadelphia, where they paid a short visit to relatives.  This was their last halt on the journey home to Ion.

CHAPTER VI.

“—­to the guiltless heart, where’er we roam,
No scenes delight us like our much-loved home.” 
—­Robert Hillhouse.

Elsie and her children had greatly enjoyed their summer at the North, but now were filled with content and happiness at the thought of soon seeing again their loved home at Ion, while Max and Lulu looked forward with pleasing anticipations and eager curiosity to their first sight of it, having heard various glowing descriptions of it from “Mamma Vi” and Rosie.