IT was a bright, sweet May morning. _Reveille_ sounded at the Naval
Academy at Annapolis, and with the first tap of the drum Max woke and
sprang from his bed. He glanced from the window as he hurried on his
clothes, and a low exclamation of surprise and delight burst from his
lips.
"What now, Raymond?" queried Hunt, who was dressing with equal
expedition.
"The _Dolphin_! the _Dolphin_!" cried Max, in a joyful, exultant tone.
"She lies at anchor down yonder, and I haven't a doubt that I shall see
my father and all the rest presently."
"Possible? What a fortunate fellow you are, Raymond," returned Hunt,
hurrying to the window to take a hasty peep. "Sure enough! and what a
beauty she is, that _Dolphin_! and the captain will be here presently
getting you leave to spend the day on board; and it being Saturday, and
he and the commandant old friends, there'll be no trouble in managing
it. Accept my most hearty congratulations, old fellow."
"Thank you," said Max, vainly trying to suppress his excitement, for
his affectionate, boyish heart was bounding with joy at the thought of
presently seeing all his loved ones; most of all, the father who was to
him the personification of all that was good, honorable, brave, noble,
and true; the father to whom, he knew beyond a doubt, he himself was an
object of strong parental affection and pride.
"And it's fortunate for you that I'm the fellow to set the room to
rights on this memorable occasion," continued Hunt. "I say, Raymond, I
think you must have been born under a lucky star."
"Ah, yes, old fellow," laughed Max, "I rather suspect that's what's the
matter. But hark! what's that?" as approaching footsteps were heard in
the hall without.
A rap quickly followed. Max flew to the door and threw it open, to find
a messenger there from the commandant requiring his presence immediately
in the grounds below.
Little doubting what awaited him, Max obeyed the summons with joyful
alacrity, running down one flight of stairs after another till the
lowest hall was reached, then out into the grounds, sending an eagerly
inquiring look from side to side.
Ah, yes, in the shade of a tree, yonder, a few yards from the door-way,
stood the commandant in earnest conversation with another gentleman,
not in uniform, but of decidedly soldierly bearing. Max recognized the
face and form on the instant, and flew to meet him.
Both gentlemen turned at the sound of the approaching footsteps.
Max hastily saluted his superior officer, saying half breathlessly, "I
am here, sir."
"So I see, Raymond," was the smiling rejoinder, "and for the present I
resign you to this gentleman's care," turning toward the captain.
Max's hand was instantly clasped in that of his father, who held it fast
and, bending down, kissed his son with ardent affection, saying, with
emotion, and in low, earnest tones, "My boy, my dear, dear boy!"
"Papa, papa!" cried Max, his voice, too, trembling with feeling and
excitement, "I never was gladder in my life!"
"I am very glad for you, Max," said the commandant, in kindly
sympathizing tones. "And Raymond, let me assure you that the lad is
worthy of every indulgence that could be afforded him; a more
industrious or better behaved cadet I have never had under my care.
Hoping to see you again in the course of the day, I bid you
good-morning. You also, Max," and with a bow and smile he left father
and son alone together.
"So good a report of his eldest son makes your father a very happy man,
Max," the captain said, pressing the hand he held, and gazing into the
rosy, boyish face with eyes brimful of fatherly love and pride.
"Thank you for saying it, papa," returned Max, flushing with joy; "but
with such a father I ought to be a better and brighter boy than I am.
But I do try, papa, and I mean always to try to honor you by being and
doing all I know you would wish."
"I haven't a doubt of it, my son," the captain said, again
affectionately pressing the lad's hand, then letting it go; "but now I
must return to the _Dolphin_, taking my eldest son with me if he wishes
me to do so."
"Yes, indeed, papa!" cried the boy, ready to dance with delight; "but
may I go back to my room for a moment first? I'm afraid that in my hurry
to obey the summons of the commandant, I haven't left everything quite
in ship shape."
"Yes, go, son," replied his father; "and if your morning devotions have
not been attended to, do not neglect them any longer. I will wait for
you here under the trees. By the way, I am to hear your recitations for
this morning, so you may bring the needed books with you."
"Yes, sir," returned Max, and hurried away, his father looking after him
with proudly beaming eyes till the lithe, graceful young figure
disappeared within the door-way, then taking a morning paper from his
pocket, he seated himself on a bench beneath a tree to await the lad's
return.
He had not long to wait; in a few minutes Max was again at his side, and
the two were wending their way toward the row-boat that was to take them
to the _Dolphin_, anchored some distance out in the stream.
All was so still and quiet in and about the vessel that morning that her
passengers slept later than usual, but Lulu, as generally happened, was
one of the earliest risers, and had not been up long before she hastened
to the deck to exchange the accustomed morning greeting with her father.
But, to her surprise and disappointment, a hasty glance about the deck
showed her that he was not there.
"Why, what is the matter?" she said to herself. "I'm afraid papa must be
sick, for I do not know what else would keep him in his stateroom till
this time of day. But," with another sweeping glance from side to side,
"we're certainly anchored; and where? Why, it looks like--yes, it is
Annapolis!" hearing the splash of oars and catching sight of a row-boat
with several persons in it, "for there's papa, and Max with him. Oh, oh,
oh, how glad I am!" and with the words she ran to the side of the vessel
and the next minute was in Max's arms.
It was a very hearty embrace on the part of both, their father standing
by and watching them with shining eyes.
"O Maxie, how you have grown!" exclaimed Lulu, gently withdrawing
herself from his embrace and scanning him with keen scrutiny from head
to foot; "you look every inch a naval cadet."
"Do I?" he queried laughingly. "Thank you, for I consider it a decided
compliment. And you too have changed; you are taller, and look more than
ever like papa."
"O Max, you could not say anything that would please me better than
that," she exclaimed, flushing with pleasure; "and I can return the
compliment with interest. I think you will look exactly like our dear
father when you are his age," turning toward the captain, and lifting
her eyes to his full of ardent filial affection; for he was standing
there regarding both with fatherly tenderness, and pride in their
youthful comeliness of form and feature.
"My dear, dear children!" he said, bending down to give Lulu the usual
morning caress, "your mutual love makes me very happy. May it never be
less than it is now!"
At that moment Violet, Grace, and the two little ones joined them, and
more hearty, loving embraces followed, all, except Violet, being as much
taken by surprise at the sight of Max as Lulu had been.
Grace almost cried with joy as Max caught her in his arms and hugged her
close, kissing her sweet lips again and again.
"I doubt," he said laughingly, as he let her go, "if there is another
fellow at the Academy who has such sisters as mine, or such a young,
pretty mamma, or darling baby brother and sister," kissing each in turn;
"and," looking up into his father's face, a telltale moisture gathering
in his eyes, "I'm perfectly certain there's not one can show a father to
be so proud of."
"Ah, my dear boy, Love is blind to defects and very keen-sighted as
regards good and admirable qualities in those she favors," was the
captain's answering remark.
"What a surprise you have given us, papa!" exclaimed Lulu; "me at least,
for I hadn't the least idea we were coming here."
"No, but some of the rest of us knew," said Violet, with a merry little
laugh; "your father told me of his intentions last night--as a secret,
however, for he wanted to give you and Gracie a pleasant surprise."
"And it was certainly a pleasant one to me," said Max. "Papa, thank you
ever so much."
"Did you get leave for him to stay all day, papa?" asked Lulu in a tone
that seemed to say she hoped so with all her heart.
"He will be with us through the day, except during the two hours of
drill, which we will all go to see; also all day to-morrow," was the
captain's reply to that, and it seemed to give pleasure to all who heard
it: all the passengers on board, for by that time the others had come up
to the deck, and one after another gave Max a pleased and hearty
greeting--the older people as one they had expected to see, the younger
with joyful surprise. They gathered about him, some of them--Walter in
especial--with many questions in regard to the daily routine of life at
the Academy, all of which Max answered readily and to the best of his
ability.
"Haven't you lessons to say to-day?" queried Walter.
"Yes, but I'm to recite them to papa," Max replied, with a pleased,
smiling glance into his father's face.
"You may well look pleased, Max, for he's an excellent teacher, as all
his Viamede pupils can testify," remarked Rosie demurely.
"Oh, yes, I remember now that he has been teaching you all while you
were down there," said Max. "Well, I never saw a better teacher, though
perhaps, being his son and very fond of him, it's possible I may be a
partial judge."
"Quite possible, my boy," laughed his father, "and I think no one of my
pupils is disposed to view me with a critic's eye."
"You need not say the rest of it, papa," said Lulu, "for I'm sure you
haven't any imperfections to be passed by."
"Quite right, Lu," laughed Violet.
But at that moment came the call to breakfast, a summons everyone was
ready to obey with alacrity. They had a pleasant, social time about the
table; the fare was excellent, appetites were of the best, and everyone
was in fine spirits and high good-humor.
Max was called upon to answer so many questions with regard to life at
the Naval Academy, and his replies were listened to with so much
deference, that the captain began to fear his boy might become
insufferably conceited. Disturbed by that fear, he watched him so
closely and with so grave an air that at length Max noticed it, and was
much disturbed with the fear that he had unwittingly done or said
something to hurt or displease his dearly loved father.
He took the first opportunity--following the captain about the vessel,
after breakfast and family prayers were over, till they found themselves
alone together for a moment--to inquire, in a tone of much concern, if
it were so.
"No, my son, not at all," was the kindly reply, "but I felt a little
anxious lest my boy should be spoiled and made conceited by being
applied to by older people for so much information."
"I hope not, papa; I know very well it was only because I've been living
there and they haven't; and that every one of them knows far more than
I do about many another thing."
"Quite true, my son," the captain said, with a smile, adding, "and now
you may get out your books and look over those lessons, as I shall soon
be ready to hear them."
"Yes, sir; it will be really a great treat to recite to my old tutor
once more," returned the lad, with a look of relief and pleasure. "I am
very glad indeed that he is not displeased with me as I feared."
"Very far from it, my dear boy," was the captain's kindly rejoinder;
"the account given me to-day by the commandant, of your conduct and
attention to your studies, was most gratifying to my pride in my eldest
son."
Those words, and also the warm praise bestowed upon his recitations when
they had been heard, filled the boy's heart with happiness. His father
returned to the Academy with him at the hour for drill, but the others
witnessed it from the deck of the _Dolphin_. At its conclusion, Captain
Raymond and his son returned to the yacht, Max having permission to
remain there until near ten o'clock on Sunday night.
A trip up the river had been planned for the afternoon, and anchor was
weighed and the yacht started as soon as her commander and his son had
come aboard.
All were seated upon the deck under an awning, greatly enjoying a
delicious breeze, the dancing and sparkling of the water, and the
distant view of the shore arrayed in the lovely verdure of spring.
Mrs. Dinsmore, Mrs. Travilla, and Mrs. Raymond sat together, busy with
fancy work and chatting cheerily, while the younger ones had their
drawing materials or books--except Grace, who was dressing a doll for
little Elsie. Few of them, however, were accomplishing a great deal,
there being so small necessity for the employment and so many things to
withdraw their attention from it.
Max speedily made his way to Mrs. Travilla's side. She looked up from
her work, and greeted him with her sweet smile. "It is quite delightful
to have you among us again, my dear boy," she said, taking his hand and
pressing it affectionately in hers.
"Thank you, dear Grandma Elsie," he returned, his eyes sparkling; "it is
a great pleasure to hear you say so, though I don't know how to believe
that you can enjoy it half so much as I do."
"I am glad to hear that you do, laddie," she said brightly. "Now suppose
we have a bit of chat together. Take that camp chair by your
grandmother's side and tell her how you enjoy that artillery exercise
you have just been going through."
"Thank you, ma'am," said Max laughingly, as he took the seat indicated.
"It's really delightful to be treated as a relative by so dear and sweet
a lady, but you do look so young that it seems almost ridiculous for a
great fellow like me to call you grandma."
"Does it? Why, your father calls me mother, and to be so related to him
surely must make me your grandmother."
"But you are not really old enough to be his mother, and I am his oldest
child."
"And begin to feel yourself something of a man, since you are not called
Max, but Mr. Raymond at the Academy yonder?" she returned in a playfully
interrogative tone.
Max seemed to consider a moment, then smiling, but blushing vividly,
"I'm afraid I must plead guilty to that charge, Grandma Elsie," he said
with some hesitation.
"What is that, Max?" asked his father, drawing near just in time to
catch the last words.
"That I begin to feel that--as if I'm a--at least almost--a man, sir,"
answered the lad, stammering and coloring with mortification.
"Ah, that's not so very bad, my boy," laughed his father. "I believe
that at your age I was more certain of being one than you are--really
feeling rather more fully convinced of my wisdom and consequence than I
am now."
"Were you indeed, papa? then there is hope for me," returned the lad,
with a pleased look. "I was really afraid you would think me abominably
conceited."
"No, dear boy, none of us think you that," said Mrs. Travilla, again
smiling sweetly upon him. "But you have not yet answered my query as to
how you enjoyed the artillery exercise we have just seen you go
through."
"Oh, I like it!" returned Max, his eyes sparkling. "And I don't think I
shall ever regret my choice of a profession if I succeed in passing, and
become as good an officer as my father has been," looking up into the
captain's face with a smile full of affection and proud appreciation.
"Now I fear my boy is talking of something that he knows very little
about," said the captain, a twinkle of fun in his eye. "Who told you,
Max, that your father had been a good officer?"
"My commandant, sir, who knows all about it, or at least thinks he
does."
At that instant there was a sound like the splashing of oars on the
farther side of the vessel, and a boyish voice called out, "Ahoy there,
Raymond! A message from the commandant!"
"Oh, I hope it isn't to call you back, Maxie!" exclaimed Lulu, springing
up and following Max and her father as they hastened to that side of
the vessel, expecting to see a row-boat there with a messenger from the
Academy.
But no boat of that kind was in sight. Could it have passed around the
vessel? Max hurried to the other side to make sure but no boat was
there.
"Oh!" he exclaimed, with a merry laugh, "it was Mr. Lilburn," and he
turned a smiling, amused face toward the old gentleman, who had
followed, and now stood close at his side.
"Eh, laddie! what was Mr. Lilburn?" queried the accused. "That I'm no
down there in a boat is surely evident to all who can see me standing
here. Are ye no ashamed to so falsely accuse an auld friend who wad
never do harm to you or yours?"
Then a voice seemed to come from a distant part of the vessel. "Ah, sir,
ye ken that ye're known to be up to such tricks. All only to make fun
for your friends, though, not to cause fright or harm to anyone--unless
it might be a gambler or some other rascal."
"Hear that, now, cousin!" cried Mr. Lilburn. "Somebody seems ready to do
justice to the auld man our fine young cadet here is so ready to suspect
and accuse."
By this time all the other passengers had joined them, everybody but the
very little ones understood the joke, and it was received with merry
peals of laughter.
To Max the afternoon and evening seemed to pass very quickly, so
delightful was it to be once more surrounded by his dear ones, not the
least pleasant part being a half hour spent alone with his father after
the others had retired; he had so many little confidences that he would
not willingly have shared with anyone else, and they were heard with so
much evident interest, such hearty sympathy, and replied to with such
good and kindly advice. Max was even more firmly convinced than ever
before that such another dear, kind, and lovable father as his was
nowhere to be found.
And, by the way, the captain was almost equally sure that no other man
had a son quite so bright, handsome, intelligent, noble, industrious,
and in every way worthy to be the pride of his father's heart, as this
dear lad who was his own.
"God, even the God of his fathers, keep my dear boy in every hour of
trial and temptation, and help him to walk steadily in the strait and
narrow way that leads to everlasting life," he said with emotion when
bidding his son goodnight. "Keep close to the dear Master, my son, ever
striving to serve and honor him in all your words and ways, and all will
be well with you at the last."