"That is to say," said Ned, taking up the parable, " for American children, Europe has its chief interest as the country from which their ancestors came, and they would like to trace back the footsteps of those ancestors."

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Exactly," said Nathan Bodley. "America is no longer a colony of Europe, and for America the centre of things is in America. It used to be a grievance of mine, when I was a boy, to find longitude marked as east and west from Greenwich instead of Washington. You made good Americans of us, father, and we want to help the children along on the same line. There are a great many more books written for young people in America, by Americans, than when I was a boy, and I am glad of it. Americans have a different way of thinking from what the English have, and it is right that we should have American books about England, and American histories of what took place in Europe before our ancestors came here. We cannot help seeing things abroad with different eyes from what the people themselves do, because we carry different notions with us.”

"Nathan read aloud, one winter, a book about Greater Britain," said Mrs. Bodley," and that was about English speaking and thinking people everywhere. I suppose it is something like that when we travel in Europe to find the beginnings of America."

"Blandina," said Cousin Ned, " you would make a reputation suggesting good things to other people. When I get time, I mean to write a book about Earlier America; and I shall not find it in Indian mounds, but in German village communities, and English families, and such like places."

"We have not told the children yet," said Mr. Van Wyck, “but it will be queer if they don't suspect what we are intending, after the severe course in Motley, and Philip Van Artevelde, and so forth, that we are giving them."

"Then you are going to Holland first?"

"We are going to make a little more than a year of it. Probably we shall go to Switzerland for the earlier part of the summer, and end with Holland for a special business, returning to England in the fall."

"I wish we could all go," said Grandfather," but we can't. Some of us must stay at home to hear about it."

CHAPTER II.

THE DISCOVERY OF EUROPE.

It was not until the 10th of June that the plans of the Bodley and Van Wyck families began to be carried out. On that day, Professor Edward G. Adams stood on the pier on North River from which the steamship sailed which was to bear across the Atlantic the little party of American travelers. He was not going with them himself, though he hoped to join them later. To tell the truth, Professor Ned could have gone this day as well as not, and he was secretly sorry he had not chosen to go then; but he was one of those people who dislike to be bound by plans, especially other people's plans, and no one ever could find out when he was going or where he was going. He was, in fact, an old bachelor, and after that, what can one say? For old bachelors always have their own ways, and their ways are very apt to be secret ones. As the steamship was worked away from the pier, he called out,

"Nathan, you must let me hear from you soon. I may run across in the course of the summer, and shall want to find you and Phippy without advertising for you."

To this Charles Bodley, who was standing by his father's side, answered,

"All right, Cousin Ned. I'll write."

"Bless my soul!" said a voice close by Charles, and the second officer of the steamship laid his hand on the boy's shoulder, turned him about, and then lifted his chin. "Look here!" said the officer. "Is your name Nathan Bodley?"

No, sir," said Charles, taken suddenly aback, and thinking for a moment he might have broken one of the ship's rules, which required every one to answer to his own name only, "but my father's is."

At that the officer turned about, and Charles's father also turned toward him.

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Well, I never! If this is n't Nathan Bodley!"

Hen, as I'm alive! Phippy!" and Mrs. Van Wyck turned also, and was equally astonished.

"How in the world did you come here, Hen? Philip! Then Mr. Van Wyck came forward.

"This is my husband, Hen, - Mr. Van Wyck. Philip, this is, Dear me!" and Mrs. Van Wyck looked in a puzzled way at her brother. "Nathan, I do verily believe that I never heard Hen's last name. Do forgive me, Mr. Officer."

"All the same," said the officer, winking at Nathan, and moving off just then to give some orders.

"Who is it, mamma?" asked Sarah Van Wyck.

"It is perfectly extraordinary," said Sarah's mother. "Ned!" she cried, catching sight of her cousin, who was still on the dock, "Did you see? Here is our old Hen, one of the officers. Just think of it!"

Ned, who had been watching the group, and trying to make out what it all meant, now threw up his hands in unfeigned astonishment, and looked eagerly about for the officer, who was not to be seen, however. The steamer was rapidly leaving the dock, and the professor could express his different emotions only by various styles of waving his handkerchief.

"But who is Hen?" persisted Sarah. to be "

"Not the Hen who used

"The very same Hen, Sarah," said her mother. "You have heard me tell stories of what your Uncle Nathan and Aunt Lucy and I used to do when we were children; of how Martin, your grandfather's man-of-all-work, helped take care of us, and had a brother named Hen, who was the most wonderful fellow, we thought, that ever lived. There was nothing he had n't seen, and no place where he had n't been, and he had always gone a little farther and seen a little more than any one else. I had completely lost sight of him. I really believe it is twenty-five years since I have heard anything about him. Martin left us, because he was to be married and to go West, and Hen has not been near us since. Just to think of his turning up here! here! It's like a story-book!"

At this moment Mr. Nathan Bodley came back, bringing with him the newly discovered Hen.

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Phippy," he said, making a low bow, "permit me to introduce to you our old friend, Mr. Henry Umbelow, now second officer of the Algeria."

"Your humble servant," added Mr. Umbelow, giving a little duck forward.

"Mrs. Philip Van Wyck," continued Mr. Nathan Bodley, in explanation to Mr. Umbelow.

"And this is Phippy, is it?" asked the officer, laying his hand on Sarah's shoulder.

"Her name is Sarah," said her mother, smiling. "Named after my mother, Hen, excuse me, Mr. Umbelow."

"And where 's Lucy?"

"Lucy's at home in Roxbury."

"And she has n't got a little Lucy, or Julia, or what not? "No; she's not married."

""

""T is n't just the same thing," said Mr. Umbelow, shaking his head. "What between the little Bodleys I used to know and these here Van Wycks and things, begging your pardon, ma'am,- I'm getting a little confused. However, it 'll all come out right, I it'll suppose. And you say there is n't but one Lucy?"

"That is all."

"I think if I could see Lucy, now, I'd be clear. She has n't grown much, has she?"

"She 's rather small still."

Mrs. Van"

"I thought so. Now, if I shut one eye, Mrs. "Oh, do call me Phippy, Mr. Umbelow." "Give me your hand, Phippy," said the officer fervently. "That does me good. Now, if you'll call me Hen again, I think I can get my bearings. And as for these young ones," and he whispered loudly, "I don't mind their calling me Mr. Umbelow when any of the men are about; but right here, why," and he raised his voice again,"call me Hen, too, my chickens.' With that he darted off again on some errand he had suddenly thought of.

"How in the world our easy-going Hen rose to the place of second officer is a mystery to me," said Mr. Nathan Bodley; "and, by the way he flies off, I rather think he has to remind himself of it occasionally."