And so he was. Full of patriotic enthusiasm, Cousin Jack set off bombs
and firecrackers, until the elder Maynards declared that their ears
ached, and the roisterers must come in to breakfast.

"I must go home," announced their guest. "I have a wife and six small
children dependent on me for support."

As a matter of fact, the Bryants had no children, and Mrs. Maynard
declared she should telephone for Cousin Ethel to come to breakfast,
too, so Cousin Jack consented to stay.

The breakfast party was an unexpected addition to the day's festivities,
but Mrs. Maynard was equal to the occasion. She scurried around and
found flags to decorate the table, and tied a red, white, and blue
balloon to the back of each chair, which gave the room a gay appearance.

The vigorous exercise had produced good appetites, and full justice was
done to Ellen's creamed chicken and hot rolls and coffee.

"Who's for a dip in the ocean?" asked Cousin Jack, when breakfast was
over.

All were included in this pleasing suggestion, and soon a bathing-suited
party threw themselves into the dashing whitecaps.

Cousin Jack tried to teach Marjorie to swim, but it is not easy to learn
to swim in the surf, and she made no very great progress. But Mr.
Maynard and Mr. Bryant swam out to a good distance, and King was allowed
to accompany them, as he already was a fair swimmer.