gaged to tow them out into the breeze and Jack thought it would be nice
to show Aunt Mary around while they were being meandered through coal
barges, etc. They went below and Aunt Mary saw everything with a most
flattering interest.

"I d'n know but what I'd enjoy a little yacht of my own," she said to
Mitchell. "I think it's so amusin' the way everythin' turns over into
suthin' else. I suppose Joshua could learn to sail me--I wouldn't want to
trust no new man, I know."

"Why, of course," said Jack, "and we could all come and visit you, Aunt
Mary."

Aunt Mary smiled hospitably.

"I'd be glad to see you all any day," she said cordially; "and I shall
have a hole in the bottom of the boat for people to go in and out of, and
a nice staircase down to it, so you needn't mind the notion of how you'll
get on and off."

They all laughed and continued the tour below and Aunt Mary grew more and
more enthusiastic for quite a while. She liked the kitchen and she liked
the dining-room. She thought the arrangement for keeping the table level
most ingenious. Mitchell took her into the main cabin and told her that
that was hers for the day. On the dresser was a photograph of the "Lady
Belle" framed in silver, which the young host presented to his guest as a
souvenir of the "voyage."

Aunt Mary's pleasure was at its height. Oh, the pity of Fate which makes
the apex of everything so very limited as to standing room! Three minutes
after the presentation and acceptation of the photograph Aunt Mary's
glance became suddenly vague, and then especially piercing.

"What makes this up and down feeling?" she asked Mitchell.

"What up and down feeling?" he asked, secure in the good conscience and
pure living of an oatmeal breakfast. "I don't feel up and down."

"I do," said Aunt Mary abruptly; "I want to be somewhere else."

"You want to be on deck," said Burnett, suddenly emerging from somewhere;
"I know the symptoms. I always have 'em. Come on. And when we get up
there, I'll collar Jack for urging those six last griddle cakes on me this
morning."

"I ain't sure I want to be on deck," said Aunt Mary; "dear me--I feel as if
I wasn't sure of anythin'."

"What did I tell you?" said Burnett to Mitchell; "it's blowing fresh and
neither she nor I ought to have come. You know me when it blows."

"Shut up," said Mitchell, hurrying Aunt Mary up the companion-way and
shoving her into one chair and her feet into another; "there, Miss
Watkins,