state my reason before your mamma and brother and sister."

"Oh! I'm sorry I was naughty about it, papa," he said, again putting her
hand into his.

He held it in a kindly pressure, while he went on talking to her.

"I intend you shall go to Ion to the Christmas-eve party, and the
dinner-party the next day, as I shall be there too."

"Thank you, dear papa: I'd like to go ever so much, but I don't deserve
to," she said humbly, "or to have any Christmas gifts. If I were you,
and had such a bad child, I wouldn't give her a single thing."

"I hope she is going to be a better girl, in future," he said, kissing
her good-night.

It was a joyful surprise to Lulu when, at the breakfast-table the next
morning, her father said, "Children, your mamma and I are going to drive
into the city, and will take you all along: and, as I suppose you would
like to do some Christmas shopping, I shall advance your next week's
allowance,--perhaps furnish something over," he added, with a kindly
smile.

All three young faces had grown very bright, and there was a chorus of
thanks.

"We expect to start in a few minutes after prayers," the captain went
on, "and so there will be no school to-day."