Mammy welcomed her family with enthusiasm, and Jerome with the ceremony he never omitted, and in less time than seemed possible all were settled in their spacious, airy rooms.  Mr. and Mrs. Harold had a room looking out over the river, with the two girls next them, while Mrs. Howland, Mr. Stewart, Snap and Constance had rooms just beyond, the three boys being quartered on the floor above.

“Oh, Peggy, isn’t it the dearest place you ever saw?” cried Polly, running out on the balcony upon which their room gave.  “And there’s the dear old flat-iron,” the “flat-iron” being the name bestowed by the boys upon the monitor Tonopah because she set so low in the water and was shaped not unlike one, her turrets sticking up like bumpy handles.

“Look, Polly!  Look!  Some one is wigwagging on the bridge of the Olympia.  Oh, Daddy Neil, Daddy Neil, come quickly and tell us what they are saying,” she called into the next room.

Neil Stewart hurried out to the balcony, slightly lowering his eyelids as he would have done at sea, a little trick acquired by most men who look across the water.

“Why they are signalling us,” he exclaimed.  “That’s Boynton on the bridge,” mentioning an officer whom he knew, “and the chap signalling is—­you—­no, no I don’t mean that, I mean it’s the chap who ought to be you, that Devon, Deroux, no—­Leroux—­isn’t that his name?  The fellow who rigged up in girl’s clothes and fooled me to a frazzle.  He’s saying—­ what’s that?  Hold on—­Yes!  ‘Welcome to New London’ and—­’Coming on board.’  That means that a whole bunch will descend upon us tonight I’ll bet all I’m worth.  Well, let ’em come!  Let ’em come!  The more the merrier for there’s nothing amiss with the commissary department.  Here, Happy, Happy, come and answer that signal out yonder.  I’m rusty, but you ought to have it down pat.”

“Aye, aye, sir,” answered Happy, appearing at the window overhead and by some miraculous means scrambling through it and letting himself drop to the balcony where Mr. Stewart and the girls were standing.

“Give me a towel, quick, Peggy.”

Peggy rushed for a towel and a moment later the funny wigwag was answering: 

“Come along.  Delighted.”

And that night the bungalow was filled to overflowing, for not only did the boys come, but several officers who had known Mr. Stewart and Mr. Harold for years were eager to renew their acquaintance, and talk over old days.

“And you’ve come just in time for the regatta.  Going to be a big race this year.  The men are up at Gales ferry now and look fit to a finish.  How are you planning to see it?” asked the captain of the Olympia.

“Haven’t planned a thing yet.  Why we’ve only just struck our holding ground, man.”

“Good, I’m glad of it.  That fixes it all right.  You are all to be my guests that day—­yes—­no protests.  Rockhill has gone to Europe and left his launch at my service and she’s a jim-dandy, let me tell you.  She’s a sixty-footer and goes through the water like a knife blade.  You’ll all come with me and we’ll see the show from a private box.”