It is almost time for the bell to ring." The children made haste to obey.

The captain and Violet lingered behind for a moment.
"How pleased they are!" she said with a joyous look up into her husband's face.

"It's a perfect treat to witness their delight on such occasions.

I can hardly wait to show them the tree with all its treasures." "Dear wife, your affection for my darlings is a well-spring of joy to me," he said with tender look and smile; "and theirs for you no less so.
I am sure you have completely won their hearts." "You make me very happy," she responded, her eyes shining with joy and love.

"But there! do you hear little Elsie calling for papa and mamma ?" The faces that surrounded the tea table that evening were very bright, though the children had no expectation of the treat in store for them; each had had a present from papa, and that was almost more than they had ventured to hope for.
But they were in gay spirits, looking forward to a time of rare enjoyment in spending the Christmas holidays with Grandma Elsie, at Ion.
"We'll be glad to go," remarked Lulu, "and then glad to come back to our own dear home." "So you will be twice glad," said her father.
"Yes, that is just the way I feel about it," Violet said.