the way you say that! It isn't a common letter, by any means."

"Is it from that queer Mr. Blackford, whose five hundred dollar bill
we found when we were on our walking trip?" asked Amy, with strange
recollections of that queer occurrence.

"No, it was from my uncle, Amos Marlin, a former sea captain," was the
answer "A most quaint and delightful character, as you'll all say when
you meet him."

"Then we are going to meet him?" interjected Grace, questioningly.

"Yes, he's coming to pay me a visit."

"Was that the grand surprise?" Amy wanted to know.

"Indeed not. Oh, there's the letter," and Betty caught up a piece of
paper from underneath the hammock. "I'll read it to you. It's quite
funny, and in it he says he's going to give me the grandest surprise
that ever a girl had. It---- "

"But what is the surprise itself?" inquired Mollie.

"Oh, he didn't say exactly," spoke Betty, smoothing out the letter.
"But I know, from the way he writes, that it will be quite wonderful.
Everything Uncle Amos does is wonderful. He's quite rich, and---- "

"Hark!" exclaimed Amy.

A voice was calling: