.

"Come, my son, behave yourself, or they won't want such an unmannerly
fellow in the company."

"I will be as polite as a French dancing-master."

John was in luck again, and for the following three days he talked of
nothing but the cruise of the Flyaway. Even sailing in the Fawn seemed
tame to the idea of going off one or two hundred miles, and visiting
towns and cities he had never seen, and had never before expected to
see. He could hardly sleep nights, and when he did sleep, it was only to
dream of being out of sight of land, or of occupying a berth in the
cabin of the yacht.

Paul concluded his bargain with Mr. Morrison, and made all his
preparations for an absence of a week or ten days--a longer time than he
had ever been away from home before. He cleaned up the Fawn for Mr.
Morrison, and split wood enough to last his mother a fortnight. It had
already been decided that the yacht should go to the eastward, and
visit Gloucester, the Isles of Shoals, Portsmouth, and Portland; and to
be prepared for the excursion, he carefully studied all the maps and
books he could procure, which gave any information in regard to these
places.

The Flyaway was to sail on Friday at high water. For more than a
fortnight, Captain Gordon had been training the boys of the Tenean Club
to serve as "able seamen" on board the yacht. There were twelve of them,
including Paul, who were to join the party. More than half of them were
sixteen or seventeen years old; so that they were strong enough to do
all the work required in the management of the vessel. They were all
well trained, and every one of them knew his duty on board.

Besides Captain Gordon, who was to command the yacht, there was Captain
Briskett, who had for many years been the master of a coasting vessel,
and knew every rock and shoal between Boston and Eastport. Dick, the
colored steward, was to retain his place during the cruise. Captain
Littleton was to go as a passenger. John Duncan was nominally appointed
cabin boy.

Friday came, and the officers and crew of the Flyaway were all on board.
The anchor had been hove short, and the mainsail hoisted; the hour for
sailing had arrived, and she only waited the coming of Captain
Littleton. He had gone to Boston that morning, and his return was
momentarily expected.

When the amateur crew had grown very impatient at his non-arrival, he
appeared; but only to inform them that he had just received a
telegraphic despatch from