“If you wish, my son,” the captain answered pleasantly.  “But suppose you delay a little and let some of us accompany you?”

“Yes, sir; that will be better,” was the prompt, cheerful rejoinder, and in another minute Max had dismounted at the door of the mansion, and stood ready to assist the occupants of the carriage to alight.

“Ah, I see you have been making some changes and improvements here, father,” he said, glancing about as he entered the hall door.

“Yes, and in other parts of the house,” said Violet.  “Perhaps you might as well go over it before visiting the grounds.”

“I am at liberty to go everywhere, as of old?” he returned, half in assertion, half enquiringly and turning from her to his father.

“Certainly, my son; it is as truly your father’s house, therefore open in every part to you, as it was before you left its shelter for Uncle Sam’s Naval Academy,” replied the captain, regarding the lad with mingled fatherly affection, pride, and amusement.

“Thank you, sir,” returned Max heartily.  “Ah, Christine!” as the housekeeper, whom something had detained in another part of the house at the moment of their arrival, now appeared among them, “I’m pleased to see you again; looking so well, too.  I really don’t think you have changed in the least in all the time I have been away,” shaking her hand warmly as he spoke.

“Ah, Master Max, sir, I can’t say the same of you,” she returned with a pleasant smile into the bright young face.  “You are growing up fast and looking more than ever like your father.”

“Thank you,” laughed Max, his eyes shining, “you couldn’t possibly give me a higher compliment than that, Christine.”

“Ah, who shall say that I am not the complimented one, Max?” laughed the captain.

“I, papa,” cried Lulu.  “O Maxie, come upstairs and see the improvements there.  You can look at the downstairs rooms and grounds afterward.”

“Yes, run along, children,” said their father, “and make yourselves ready for the tea table before you come down again.”

“Yes, sir,” they answered in cheerful tones, Max catching up little Ned as he spoke, and setting him on his shoulder.  “Hold on tight, laddie, and your big brother will carry you up,” he said, and one chubby arm instantly went round his neck, a gleeful laugh accompanying it as Max began the ascent, his sisters following, Violet and the captain presently bringing up the rear.

“Into our rooms first, Max,” said Violet.  “You, too, Lulu and Gracie, that you may hear what he has to say about things there.”

“Thank you, Mamma Vi,” returned Max.  “I want to visit every room in the house and have all the family go with me if they like.”

“You will find a few additions here and there to the furnishings, but no great changes anywhere, Max,” said his father.

“I should hope not, sir, as things seemed to me pretty nearly perfect before I went away,” returned Max in a lively tone, “I only wish every one of my mates had as sweet a home to spend his long vacation in, and as kind a father and friends to help him enjoy it.”