"Cousin Ronald on your shoulder?" laughed Lucilla. "I don't think he could stand there; and his weight would be quite crushing to you." "Of course it would. He couldn't stand there at all," laughed Ned. "No," said Mr. Lilburn, "it would be much more sensible for me to take you on my shoulder." "Papa takes me on his sometimes," said Ned, "but not so often now as he used to when I was a little boy." "Ha, ha, ha! what are you now, sonny?" asked a voice that seemed to come from a distance. Ned colored up. "I'm a good deal bigger now than I was once," he said. "And hoping to grow a good deal bigger yet," added his father, smiling down into the little flushed, excited face. "Yes, papa, I hope to be as big as brother Max, or you, some of these days," returned the child. "Don't be in a hurry about growing up," said the voice that had spoken a moment before. "Grown folk have troubles and trials the little ones know nothing about." "But the grown-ups may hope to do more in the world than the little ones," said Walter. "Is that why you are growing up, Uncle Walter?" asked Ned. "That's why I am glad to grow up," replied Walter. "Like papa?" "Yes; and like grandpa and other good men." "Well, I want to be a man just like my own dear papa," said the little fellow, looking with loving admiration up into his father's face. "That's right, bit laddie, follow closely in his footsteps," said the voice, that seemed to come from that distant corner. But now came the call to the supper table, and so ended the sport for that day. CHAPTER XIV. It was still raining heavily when the Sabbath morning dawned upon Lake Erie and Put-in Bay. But the faces that gathered about the breakfast table of the _Dolphin_ were bright and cheery. Everybody was well and in good spirits. "This is a long storm, but I think will be over by to-morrow," remarked the captain as he filled the plates. "The time has not seemed long to me," said Annis, "for even though deprived of the pleasure of being on deck we have been by no means a dull party." "No, not by any means, and Mr. Lilburn has made a great deal of fun for us," said Evelyn. "And feels well repaid by the evident enjoyment of the little company," he said, glancing around upon them with a pleasant smile. "But of course that kind of sport won't do for to-day," said Walter; "and I presume it is too stormy for anybody to go ashore to attend church." With the concluding words he turned toward the captain inquiringly. "Quite so," was the reply. "We will have to content ourselves with such a service as can be conducted on board." "Which will probably be quite as good and acceptable as many a one conducted on land," said Mr. Lilburn. "I have greatly enjoyed the few I have been privileged to attend on this vessel in the past."