this beauty and luxury."

"Yet I am sure my boy does not want to settle down here to a life of
inglorious ease," remarked the captain in a tone of mingled assertion and
enquiry. "I rejoice in the firm conviction that his great desire is to
serve God and his country to the best of his ability."

"Yes, father, it is," said Max earnestly. "But," he added with a smile,
"if you don't want me to love to be with you in this sweet home you should
not make it so attractive and be so very kind and affectionate to me."

"My boy," the captain said with emotion and laying a hand affectionately
on his son's shoulder, "there is never a day when I do not thank my
heavenly Father for his gift to me of so good and dutiful a son."

"I don't know how any fellow could help being dutiful and affectionate to
such a father as mine, sir," returned Max, his eyes shining.

By his own desire Max's vacation was spent at home and in its vicinity,
with the occasional variety of a short voyage in his father's yacht, the
_Dolphin_, which gave the lad opportunities for the display of the
seafaring knowledge gained in the past two years, and adding to it from
his father's store of the same, under that father's instruction.

They were generally accompanied by the whole Woodburn family, always by
Lulu and Grace, Grandma Elsie, Rose, Walter, and Evelyn Leland.

Thus the weeks flew by very enjoyably and on swift wings, and the time
came for Max's return to Annapolis. So the _Dolphin_ was headed for that
port and presently steamed away again, leaving the lad behind with a