"Why the lake, papa; the lake and the boat."

"Lake?" exclaimed Eddie, "why where?"

"Oh, you couldn't see it from your windows," said Elsie. "Papa, papa, may
we go now and look at it?"

"Yes," he said, taking a hand of each. "Larkin, I'll see you again after
breakfast. Come, Eddie, my son, you too, and Bruno."

A brisk five minutes' walk brought them to the shore of the lake, a tiny
one, scarce a quarter of a mile in circumference, not very deep and the
water so clear that the pebbly bottom could be distinctly seen; gold and
silver fish, too, gliding hither and thither; while a pretty, gayly
painted row-boat lying at the water's edge, rocked gently in the morning
breeze.

Eddie hailed the scene with a shout of delight; the little girls danced
about gleefully, Vi clapping her hands and asking eagerly if they might
get into the boat.

Papa looked at his watch, "Yes, there will be time for a row; one trip
around the lake. Step in, all of you, and I will take the oars."

Vi was quite ready and Eddie gallantly handed her in, then turned and
offered his hand to Elsie. She demurred. "But mamma! shouldn't we have
mamma with us the first time?" and she looked up inquiringly into her
father's face.