“Oh, thank you, papa,” said Max delightedly; “nothing could be better. Cousin Ronald will, I dare say, make great sport for them, and perhaps I could do a little myself. But whom shall I invite? I am very sure any of them would be delighted to come.”
“I leave the selection to you, my son,” replied the captain. “Choose any whom you think the right sort of company for yourself and us and likely to enjoy being here.”
“Well, my boy, as we are not expecting to keep them over night, six or eight would not, I think, be more than we can accommodate comfortably.”
“And that will be as many as I care to ask at one time,” Max said with satisfaction. “Hunt will be glad to come, I know, and he’s a nice fellow.”
“You’ll want to ask those who are anxious to make Cousin Ronald’s acquaintance, I presume,” said his father.
“Yes, sir, some of them; if I asked all it would include my whole class besides a good many belonging to the others,” laughed Max.
“Very well,” said his father, “you know about how many we can accommodate, and I leave the selection to you, feeling quite sure that my boy will prefer those of good character for his intimate associates.”
“Yes, indeed, papa, and I thank you very much for trusting me.”
The _Dolphin_ was presently at her wharf again and the good-nights had to be said; but, expecting to have Max with them the next day and the day after, even his sisters were not sad over the parting, while the lad himself was jubilant in the pleasant prospect of entertaining his boy friends and comrades on board the yacht. He hurried to his room and filled up the few remaining minutes of the half-hour allowed for recreation before retiring for the night, with giving Hunt, his room-mate, a glowing account of his visit to his father’s vessel, and extending the invitation for the next afternoon and evening, which Hunt accepted promptly and with evident delight.
The next day was spent by most of the party from Woodburn and Ion in walks and drives about the city and its vicinity, varied by some attendance upon the exercises at the Naval Academy; but before tea-time all were on board the yacht again, where they were presently joined by Max and his party.
The lads were all evidently in high good humor and on the tiptoe of expectation, knowing that they were about to make the acquaintance of the ventriloquist of whose tricks Max had told them many an exciting tale.