"Yes. I shall examine Max first," the captain said, seating himself at
his writing-table. "Bring your books here, my son."

"Are you dreadfully frightened, Maxie? very afraid of your new teacher?"
Lulu asked laughingly as her brother obeyed the order.

"I don't expect to faint with fright," he returned; "for I've a notion
he's pretty fond of me."

"Of you and of all his pupils," the captain said. "Lulu, you may take
out your books, and begin to study."

When the tasks had been assigned to each, "Now children," he said, "I am
going to leave you for a while. I can do so without fear that you will
take advantage of my absence to idle away your time; for I know that you
are honorable and trustworthy, also obedient. I have seldom known any
one of you to disobey an order from me."

"Thank you, papa," Max said, answering for both himself and sisters, and
coloring with pleasure as he spoke. "We'll try to deserve your praise
and your confidence. But are we to consider ourselves forbidden to speak
at all to each other while you are gone?"

"No, not entirely; but do not engage in unnecessary talk, to the neglect
of your studies."

So saying, he went out and left them.

Returning exactly at the expiration of the first hour for study, he
found them all busily at work.