CHAPTER XVIII.
"Where are we going to-day, papa ?" asked little Elsie the next morning at the breakfast table.
"I do not know yet, my child," he replied.

"I have been thinking," he continued, addressing the company in general, "that it would probably be better for us to break up into quite small parties, each going its own way, now that the Fair has become so crowded." "Yes," Mr.Dinsmore said, "I will take my wife and daughter with me, if they do not object; you, I presume, will do likewise with your wife and children, and the others--Rosie, Walter, and Evelyn--can make up a third party, and dispose of their time and efforts at sight-seeing as they please." At that Mr.Lilburn turned toward Miss Annis Keith and said, with a humorous look and smile, "You and I seem to be left entirely out of the calculation, Miss Keith.

Shall we compose a fourth party, and see what we can find to amuse and interest us ?" "Thank you, sir," she replied; "but are you sure I might not prove a hindrance and burden ?" "Quite sure; and your companionship, if I can secure it, will be all-sufficient for me." "Then we will consider the arrangement made, for I should be sorry indeed to intrude my companionship upon those who do not desire it," she said, with a sportive look at the captain.
"Cousin Ronald," said the latter gravely, "I think you owe me a vote of thanks for leaving Cousin Annis to you.

I am sure it should be accounted a very generous thing for me to do." "Certainly, captain, when you have only Cousin Vi, those two half-grown daughters, and two sweet children for your share," laughed Annis.
"As many as he can keep together," remarked Walter.

"Well, I'm going off by myself, as I happen to know that my sister Rosie and Evelyn have been already engaged by other escorts." "Walter, you deserve to be left at home," said Rosie severely.
"At home ?" laughed Walter, "you would have to get me there first." "You know what I mean; this yacht is home to us while we are living on it." "And a very pleasant one it is; a delightful place to rest in when one is tired; as I realize every evening, coming back to it from the Fair." "Then we won't try to punish you by condemning you to imprisonment in it," said the captain.
"Papa, I should like to go to the Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building again to-day, unless the rest of our party prefer some other place," said Grace.
"That would suit me as well as any," said Violet.
"Me also," added Lucilla.
"Then that shall be our destination," returned the captain.
The young men--Harold and Herbert Travilla, Chester and Frank Dinsmore, and Will Croly--joined the party from the _Dolphin_, as usual, in the Peristyle; good-mornings were exchanged, then they broke up into smaller parties and scattered in different directions; Captain Raymond with his wife and children going first into the great Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building, where they spent some hours in looking at such of the beautiful and interesting exhibits as they had not examined in former visits; making a good many purchases of gifts for each other for friends and relatives and the servants and caretakers left at home.
Chester was disappointed and chagrined that he was not invited to accompany them, particularly as it was his and Frank's last day at the Fair--but he joined Walter and Herbert, while Harold took charge of their mother, and the other young folks went off in couples.
"Where shall we betake ourselves, Miss Annis ?" asked Mr.Lilburn.
"I think I should like to look at some of the paintings in the Fine Arts Building, if you care to do so," replied Annis.
"I should like nothing better," he returned; "so we will go there first." They spent all the morning there--there were so many pictures worthy of long study that it was difficult to tear themselves away from any one of them.
"'The return of the _Mayflower_,'" read Mr.Lilburn as they paused before a picture of a young girl standing upon the seashore, looking out eagerly over the water toward a sail which she sees in the distance; such an impatience and tender longing in her face that one knew it seemed almost impossible for her to wait the coming of some dear one she believes to be on board; one whose love and care are to shelter her from cold and storm and savage foes who might at any moment come upon and assail her.