Patsy and Elizabeth shopped for the next few days most strenuouslyb and delightfully.Sometimes their dainty cousin Louise joined them，and the three girls canvassed gravely their requirements for a trip that was as new to them as a ?ight to the moon.Naturally，they bought much that was unnecessary and forgot many things that would have been useful.You have to go twice to Europe to know what to take along.
Louise needed less than the others，for her wardrobe wasmore extensive and she already possessed all that a young girl could possibly make use of.This niece，the eldest of Uncle John's trio，was vastly more experienced in the ways of the world than the others，although as a traveller she had no advantage of them.Urged thereto by her worldly mother，she led a sort of trivial，butter?y existence，and her character was decidedly super?cial to any close observer.Indeed，her very suavityc and sweetness of manner was assumed，because itwas so much more comfortable and effective to be agreeable than otherwise.She was now past seventeen years of age，tall and well formed，with a delicate and attractive face which，without being beautiful，was considered pleasant and winning.Her eyes were good，though a bit too shrewd，and her light brown hair was fluffya as spun silk.Graceful of carriage，gracious of manner，yet affecting a languor unsuited to her years，Louise Merrick was a girl calculated to draw from the passing throng glances of admiration and approval，and to convey the impression of good breeding and feminine cleverness.
All this，however，was outward.Neither Patsy nor Bethdisplayed any undue affection for their cousin，although all of the girls exhibited a fair amount of cousinly friendship for one another.They had once been thrown together under trying circumstances，when various qualities of temperament not altogether admirable were liable to assert themselves.Those events were too recent to be already forgotten，yet the girls were generous enough to be considerate of each others'failings，and had resolved to entertain no sentiment other than good will on the eve of their departure for such a charming outing as Uncle John had planned for them.
Mr.Merrick being a man，saw nothing radically wrongin the dispositions of any of his nieces.Their youth and girlishness appealed to him strongly，and he loved to havethem by his side.It is true that he secretly regretted Louise was not more genuine，that Beth was so cynical and frank，and that Patsy was not more diplomatic.But he re?ected that he had had no hand in molding their characters，although he might be instrumental in improving them；so he accepted the girls as they were，thankful that their faults were not glaring，and happy to have found three such interesting nieces to cheer hisold age.
At last the preparations were complete.Tuesday arrived，and Uncle John "corralled his females，"as he expressed it，and delivered them safely on board the staunch and comfortable ocean greyhound known as the "Princess Irene，"together with their bags and baggage，their flowers and fruits and candy boxes and all those other useless accessories to a voyage so eagerly thrust upon the departing travellers by their affectionate but ill—advised friends.
Mrs.Merrick undertook the exertion of going to Hoboken to see her daughter off，and whispered in the ear of Louise many worldly admonitions and such bits of practical advice as she could call to mind on the spur of the momenta.
Major Gregory Doyle was there，pompous and straight ofform and wearing an assumed smile that was meant to assure Patsy he was delighted at her going，but which had the effect of scaring the girl because she at first thought the dreadful expression was due to convulsionsb.
The Major had no admonitions for Patsy，but she had plenty for him，and gave him a long list of directions that would，as he said，cause him to "walk mighty straight"if by good luck he managed to remember them all.
Having made up his mind to let the child go to Europe，the old fellow allowed no wails or bemoanings to reach Patsy's ears to deprive her of a moment's joyful anticipation of the delights in store for her.He laughed and joked perpetually during that last day，and promised the girl that he would take a vacation while she was gone and visit his old colonel in Virginia，which she knew was the rarest pleasure he could enjoy.And now he stood upon the deck amusing them all with his quaint sayings and appearing so outwardly jolly and unaffected that only Patsy herself suspected the deep grief that was gripping his kindly old heart.
Uncle John guessed，perhaps，for he hugged the Majorin a tight embrace，whispering that Patsy should be now，as ever，the apple of his eye and the subject of his most loving care.
"An'don't be forgetting to bring me the meerschaum pipe from Sicily an'the leathern pocket—book from Florence，"the Major said to Patsy，impressively."It's little enough for ye to remember if ye go that way，an'to tell the truth I'm sending ye abroad just for to get them.An'don't be gettin'off the boat till it stops at a station；an'remember that Uncle John is full of rheumatics an'can't walk more n'thirty mile an hour，an'—""It's a slander，"said Uncle John，stoutly."I never had rheumatics in my life.""Major，"observed Patsy，her blue eyes full of tears buther lips trying to smile，"do have the tailor sponge your vest every Saturday.It's full of spots even now，and I've been too busy lately to look after you properly.You're—you're—just disgraceful，Major！""All ashore！"called a loud voice.
The Major gathered Patsy into an embrace that threatened to crush her，and then tossed her into Uncle John's arms and hurried away.Mrs.Merrick followed，with good wishes for all for a pleasant journey；and then the four voyagers pressed to the rail and waved their handkerchiefs frantically to those upon the dock while the band played vociferouslya and the sailors ran here and there in sudden excitement and the great ship left her moorings and moved with proud deliberation down the bay to begin her long voyage to Gibraltar and the blue waters of the Mediterranean.
