"Humph! I had really labored under the delusion that you were grown up."

"Does that mean, ready to dispense with my father's society? In that case
I don't mean ever to be grown up," she returned with spirit.

"Well, really!" laughed Chester, "if I am not mistaken, my sisters
considered themselves about grown up, and altogether their own mistresses
when they were no older than you are now; though, to be sure, I don't
profess to know your age exactly."

"You may look at the record in the family Bible the next time you visit
Woodburn, if you care to," Lucilla said, with a careless little toss of
her head. "Yon will find the date of my birth there in papa's handwriting,
from which your knowledge of arithmetic will enable you to compute my
present age."

"Thank you," he said, laughing, but with a look of slight embarrassment,
"I am entirely satisfied with the amount of knowledge I already possess on
that subject."

"Ah, what subject is that upon which you are so well informed, Chester?"
queried Captain Raymond pleasantly, overhearing the last remark, and
turning toward the young couple.

"Your daughter's age, sir. I invited her to take a ride with me upon the
lagoon, in one of those electrical launches; but find she is but a young
thing and cannot leave her father."

"Ah?" laughed the captain, "then suppose we all go together."