"Quick, now, lads and lasses, let's have them all out of the way before he gets back," said Ella, beginning to clear the table in hot haste. The heat of the sun was too great to allow of very fast walking, and Charlie was gone a full half hour; when he returned he found them all sitting at their ease in the parlor. "I think we'll leave those dishes till the cool of the evening, Mary," he said, wiping the perspiration from his forehead. "No, I can't consent to that--not on ordinary occasions," she answered demurely. "Then back to the post-office goes this letter!" he cried threateningly, holding aloft one with her address upon it. "Silly boy, the dishes are done without your help; give it to me!" she cried, springing up and catching it out of his hand. "A fortunate day; nobody neglected by Uncle Sam's messengers," he said, pulling several more from his pocket and distributing them. The tongues were silent for a moment; then Vi uttered a joyous exclamation. "O Mary, you needn't stay at home to-morrow! mamma says she will send a hamper by the evening train to-morrow, with provision to last us over Sunday, so that you need not be troubled with Saturday cooking." Everybody was glad, everybody thankful. "But to-morrow's dinner," said Mary, presently; "shall we get back in time for me to cook it?" "I don't know," said Edward; "but there are hotels where we can dine, and I invite you all to be my guests at whichever one the party may select. Now, Cousin Mary," as he read hesitation in her face, "I shall be hurt if anybody refuses my invitation." So no one ventured an objection. The day proved auspicious. Amy was unusually well, everybody else in good health and spirits, no excuse for staying at home: so all went and spent the entire day, taking an early start and not returning till late in the afternoon. CHAPTER XXIII. "_Macbeth._ If we should fail-- "_Lady M._ We fail! But screw your courage to the sticking place, And we'll not fail." --_Shakespeare._ Sunday morning came and our young friends met at the breakfast table, not in their usual jesting, mirthful mood, but with cheerful gravity of demeanor, suited to the sacredness of the day. "There is no preaching, no sort of religious service within our reach to-day," Edward remarked. "Then shall we not have one of our own?" asked Mary. "I have a book of sermons: one might be read aloud; then we can have three prayers and as many hymns as we please; we all sing." "And we might have a Bible reading also," suggested Ella. "And suppose we take up the International Sunday-school Lesson and study it." All these propositions were received with favor and eventually carried out. They did not think it wrong to stroll quietly along the shore, or to sit there watching the play of the billows, and thus they ended their afternoon.