CHAPTER XV.
THE homeward trip of the Dolphin was a speedy and successful one. Herpassengers, healthy and happy, enjoyed it greatly, yet were rejoicedwhen she cast anchor, one lovely morning, in the harbor near theirhomes, where they were wont to leave her, to travel the few remainingmiles on land.
They had been expected at about that time, and Edward and Zoe Travillawere there to meet them. Grandma Elsie was the first to step on shore,and Edward caught her in his arms with a glad exclamation:
“Oh, mother, I am so rejoiced to have you at home again! We can’t dowithout you. We have missed you every day and every hour.”
“And I am very, very glad to be here with you all again,” she returned;“you among them, Zoe. Ah, Herbert, my son,” as at that moment he andDr. Conly appeared on the scene, “your mother is rejoiced to see youalso, looking so bright and well. You, too, Cousin Arthur,” giving ahand to him. “Are all the dear ones well?”
“Yes. And, oh! but we are glad to have you home again,” both physiciansanswered, then turned to welcome the others, who were stepping ashore.
It was a most affectionate greeting all round, even the little newcomersharing in it. Then Edward said:
“Now, friends and cousins, we want you all at Ion for the rest of theday. A big enough dinner has been prepared, and every one of you willbe as welcome as possible.”
“That is certainly very kind and hospitable in you, Brother Ned,” saidMrs. Leland, “but I really think we would better take ourselves and ourluggage to our own homes first and visit you later on, a few at a time.”
“No, Elsie, dear,” he returned, “we have made the plans andpreparations, and shall feel greatly disappointed if not permitted tocarry out our scheme. Come one, come all, and let us have a jolly timetogether.”
Just then Chester Dinsmore came hurrying toward them, having justlearned in his office of the arrival of the vessel. A joyous,affectionate greeting exchanged between him and Lucilla, his wife,he turned to the other returned travellers. Then Edward renewed hisinvitation, adding:
“I have been out to each one of your homes and seen that they areall in prime order for you, but told the caretakers that you were todine with us at Ion first; therefore, they need not expect you untilevening, or somewhere near it.”
“You are very kind, indeed, Brother Ned,” said Captain Raymond, “andif my wife and the others are willing to accept your advice—your mosthospitable invitation—I shall be happy to do so.”
“I should like to,” said Violet; “but what about the baggage, _etcetera_?”
“Those things can all be sent out immediately to our homes and safelyentrusted to the caretakers Brother Ned just spoke of,” said thecaptain.
All now accepted Edward’s invitation, entered the waiting carriagesand were driven at once along the good and pleasant road to Ion. Therethey found a gathering of all the relatives in that region—Dr. Conly’sfamily, Calhoun’s also, Rose Croly, with her husband and children, theDinsmores from the Oaks, the Laceys from the Laurels, Cousin Ronald andhis Annis, Hugh and his wife and children. It was now nearly a yearsince Captain Raymond and his party had sailed away in the Dolphin,and the reunion of so many friends and relatives gave much undisguisedpleasure.
It was a large company, but with nothing stiff or formal about it;there were many loving embraces and much cheerful, happy, familiarchat, and soon they gathered about the hospitable board to regalethemselves with dainty and delicious fare, the meal enlivened byan interchange, suited to the occasion, of thoughts, feelings andexperiences. There was a feast of reason and a flow of soul,accompanied by no gluttony or gormandizing.
Conversation and many courses kept them long at the table. But atlength they left it and gathered in the parlors. They had not beenthere long when Laurie and Lily came in, bringing the tee-tees—thelittle monkeys belonging to Elsie and Ned Raymond. They were delightedto see their pets and thought the pleasure was mutual, though the olderpeople had doubts concerning the evidences of pleasure given by themonkeys.
The nurse had had the care of Evelyn’s baby while the dinner was inprogress, but now she brought it in and laid it in the mother’s lapwhile she should go and take her meal. Several of the cousins gatheredabout to look at the little one, and spoke admiringly of her appearance.
“She is a little beauty,” said more than one.
Then a weak little voice seemed to come from her lips:
“Don’t make me vain.”
“Oh, no, darling. You are too young for that,” laughed Grandma Elsie,“as well as too young to talk so wisely and well.”
“Yes, ma’am; but my papa helps me,” murmured the weak little voice, andeverybody looked at Max and laughed.
“What a nice little truth-speaker you are, little niece,” said Lucilla,leaning over the babe and softly touching its cheek.
“I want to be that always, auntie,” replied the same little voice whichhad spoken before.
“Oh, what a good little thing you are,” laughed Ned. “I’m glad to beyour uncle.”
“Tell him he’s too young and small to be of much use as an uncle,” saida voice that seemed to come from some one behind the group about thebaby.
Instantly every head was turned to see who the speaker was. But heseemed to be invisible.
“Why, who said that?” exclaimed Ned.
“Oh, I know. It was you, Cousin Ronald.”
“Some people are wonderfully wise,” said Mr. Lilburn. “But really,now, did that sound like my voice?”
“Like one of them, I think,” laughed Ned. “You seem to have a goodmany; even more than Brother Max has.”
Ned had his tee-tee on his shoulder, and it seemed now to put in itsword:
“Is that the way to talk to your old, old cousin?”
“Is that the way you talk to me, you saucy fellow?” laughed Ned, givingthe tee-tee a little shake.
“There!” exclaimed Lily Travilla. “That’s the first time he’s spokensince we brought him away from Louisiana in the Dolphin.”
“I can’t talk when there’s nobody by to help me,” was the tee-tee’snext remark.
“And Cousin Ronald is helping you now, isn’t he?” asked Ned.
“Yes; and he’s good help.”
Elsie had Tiny on her shoulder, and she put in her word now:
“I think it’s my turn to talk a little. I’m glad my little mistresshas come home, though I’ve had a good time on the yacht and here withthese good folks.”
“I’m glad you have had a good time,” laughed Elsie, “and I promiseyou shall have a fine time at Woodburn, my home, where I’ll take youpresently.”
“Will you let me run about on the porches and the grass and climb thetrees?”
“Yes, indeed, as much as you like, if you won’t run away from yourhome,” answered Elsie, hugging and stroking her pet.
“Now, if aunts, uncles and cousins will step aside for a moment, hergrandfather would like to take a peep at baby,” said Captain Raymond,coming up behind the group of children.
They all hastily stepped aside and he leaned over the babe andchirruped to it. It looked up into his face and laughed, as if it knewand cared for him.
“Ah, you really seem to know and approve of your grandpa,” he saidlaughingly. “Evelyn, my dear, she’s a darling, a pretty little pet.”
“So Max and I think, father,” returned the happy young mother.
“And so, I think I may say, do we all,” said old Mr. Dinsmore.“I should not at all object to counting her among mygreat-great-grandchildren.”
“Nor would we to having you do so, sir,” said Max, coloring and smilingwith pleasure, for he was very proud of his little daughter and glad tohave her admired by others.
“I am proud and fond of the little dear, call myself her uncle now, andhope to be really such one of these days,” laughed Harold.
“We all hope so,” said Max, “and have no objection to your claimingthat relationship at once.”
There had been
some alterations and improvements made in house andgrounds since the Dolphin and her passengers started on that wintertrip, and presently most of the company went about viewing them, andthat with entire satisfaction and approval.
But the sun was now nearing the horizon, and the Woodburn and Sunnysidefolk were growing eager to see and rest in their own loved andcomfortable homes. The carriages were brought up, the adieus said, andthey went on their way rejoicing. Each family went to its own dwellingat first, but they would not be long apart; that evening would see themall gathered, first at one residence, then at the other, and therewould never be a day that would not be spent more or less in eachother’s society. This would be true of all excepting Max, who mustsoon return to his ship. The thought of that was all that marred thehappiness of that evening, with its joyful return to their own lovedhomes. But Evelyn and all of them tried to put away remembrance of itfor the present.