ved slowly round,
and left the wharf amid the cheers of the boys. Farther and farther it
moved away, then down the tortuous channel of Mud Creek, until at last
the broad expanse of Minas Basin received them.

For this voyage the preparations had been complete. It had first been
thought of several weeks before, and then the plan and the details had
been slowly elaborated. It was thought to be an excellent idea, and
one which was in every respect worthy of the "B. O. W. C." Captain
Corbet embraced the proposal with enthusiasm. Letters home, requesting
permission, received favorable answers. Solomon at first resisted, but
finally, on being solemnly appealed to as Grand Panjandrum, he found
himself unable to withstand, and thus everything was gradually
prepared. Other details were satisfactorily arranged, though not
without much serious and earnest debate. The question of costume
received very careful attention, and it was decided to adopt and wear
the weather-beaten uniforms that had done service amidst mud and water
on a former occasion. Solomon's presence was felt to be a security
against any menacing famine; and that assurance was made doubly sure by
the presence of a cooking stove, which Captain Corbet, mindful of
former hardships, had thoughtfully procured and set up in the hold.
Finally, it was decided that the flag which had formerly flaunted the
breeze should again wave over them; and so it was, that as the Antelope
moved through Mud Creek, like a thing of life, the black flag of the
"B. O. W. C." floated on high, with its blazonry of a skull, which now,
worn by time, looked more than ever like the face of some mild,
venerable, and paternal monitor.

Some time was taken up in arranging the hold. Considerable confusion
was manifest in that important locality. Tin pans were intermingled
with bedding, provisions with wearing apparel, books with knives and
forks, while amid the scene the cooking stove towered aloft prominent.
To tell the truth, the scene was rather free and easy than elegant; nor
could an unprejudiced observer have called it altogether comfortable.
In fact, to one who looked at it with a philosophic mind, an air of
squalor might possibly have been detected. Yet what of that? The
philosophic mind just alluded to would have overlooked the squalor, and
regarded rather the health, the buoyant animal spirits, and the
determined habit of enjoyment, which all the ship's company evinced,
without ex