"Why not?"

"Wal, this tide won't last long enough to carry us up thar, an so we'll
have to wait here. This is the best place thar is."

"What place is this?"

"Hillsborough."

"Hillsborough?"

"Yes. Do you see that thar pint?" and Captain Corbet waved his arm
towards a high, well-wooded promontory that jutted out into the river.

"Yes."

"Wal, I'm goin in behind that, and I'll wait thar till the tide turns.
We'll get up to Moncton some time before evenin."

In a few minutes the Antelope was heading towards the promontory; and
soon she passed it, and advanced towards the shore. On passing the
promontory a sight appeared which at once attracted the whole attention
of the boys.

Immediately in front of them, in the sheltered place which was formed
by the promontory, was a little settlement, and on the bank of the
river was a ship-yard. Here there arose the stately outline of a large
ship. Her lower masts were in, she was decorated with flags and
streamers, and a large crowd was assembled in the yard around her.

"There's going to be a launch!" cried Bart, to whom a scene like this
was familiar.

"A launch!" cried Bruce. "Hurrah! We'll be able to see it. I've
never seen one in my life. Now's the time."

"Can't we get ashore?" said Arthur.

"Of course," said Phil; "and perhaps they'll let us go on board and be
launched in her."

The very mention of such a thing increased the general excitement.
Captain Corbet was at once appealed to.

"O, thar's lots of time," said he. "Tain't quite high tide yet. You'll
have time to get ashore before she moves. Hullo, Wade! Whar's that
oar?"

The boys were all full of the wildest excitement, in the midst of which
Solomon appeared with the announcement that breakfast was waiting.

To which Bart replied,--

"O, bother breakfast!"

"I don't want any," said Bruce.

"I have no appetite," said Arthur.

"Nor I," said Pat.

"I want to be on board that ship," said Phil.

"We can easily eat breakfast afterwards," said Tom.

At this manifest neglect of his cooking, poor Solomon looked quite
heart-broken; but Captain Corbet told him that he might bring the
things ashore, and this in some measure assuaged his grief.

It did not take long to get ready. The oar was flung on board the
boat, which had thus far been floating behind the schooner; and though
the boat had a little too much water on board to be comfortable, yet no
complaints were made, and in a few