"Yes, indeed! and so would a good many other folks, grandma for one," she replied, dropping her work to put an arm about him, stroking his hair with the other hand, patting his rosy cheek, and kissing him again and again. "But we hope our little boy will make a good and brave man, like his father, and never play the coward by running away from dangerous duty."
"Maxie, my big brother, wouldn't, grandma."
"No, I feel very sure Max would fight for the right and his dear native land."
"So do I," said Lucilla. "Max is very much like our father in both looks and character; though papa says Max has a better temper than his. I never saw papa show a bad temper, but he says he has one and that that's where I get mine."
"Now, Lu, don't talk in that way about yourself," said Grace. "I've hardly seen you show any temper at all for years past. If you got it from papa, you got the power of controlling it too, from him, I think."
At that moment Walter came hurrying down from the deck, whither he had gone shortly before, his face full of joyous excitement.
"Folks," he cried, "do you know that it is clearing off? The sun is out and the clouds are retreating rapidly before it. Surely the change will bring grandpa and the captain back in haste, after the rest of us. So I think we should better be making our preparations as fast as possible."
"Why, my dear young brother," laughed Rosie, "one would imagine our lives or fortunes, one or both, depended on our seeing the sights of Montreal to-day."
"Very well, my wise sister, you can stay behind, if you wish," laughed the lad; "but I'm bound to make one of the exploring party. And there! they have come, for I hear Brother Levis' voice on deck."
The words had scarcely left his lips when Captain Raymond's quick, manly step was heard coming down the companion-way; then his pleasant voice, saying, "Everybody who wants to see Montreal to-day must make haste to don hat and coat or shawl, for the air will be quite cool in driving."
"Oh, have you brought a carriage for us, papa?" asked little Elsie.
"Yes," he replied; "we have three of what they call _calèches_ out here on the wharf. They are pleasant vehicles to ride in, and the three will hold us all very comfortably. We will not want to stop anywhere for dinner," he continued turning to Violet, "so I have ordered a lunch put up for each _calèche_."