d be for ye!" she said. "And is it in the middle
of the river ye'd be landin' me? Thank ye kindly, but I'll not go a
pleasurin' with ye. And as for an 'evil eye,' troth ye're but makin'
game of my want of book-larnin'. But well I know there's no such
thing; and if there was, it could never harm ye or yer work if ye were
doin' right. So now be off with ye to the store, and bring me five
pounds of sugar, quick as ye can. And if ye take the molasses jug
along and get it filled--well, this once I'll beat up a batch of
cookies, so ye can have some for yer lunch at school to-morrow."

III.

At last the wonderful boat was pronounced finished. It had obviously
not been modeled with an eye to beauty--was flat as the barn floor,
square at both ends, and entirely lacking in the curves which
constitute the grace of the seabird-like craft which are the delight of
yachtmen. Nevertheless, the boys were proud of it. It was their own:
they had built it themselves.

"There she is, complete from bow to stern!" exclaimed Jack, with a
satisfied air.

"Yes," responded Leo, admiringly. "But"--hesitating--"but--which is
the bow and which the stern, you know--eh?"

"Why, this end, stupid! Don't you see I've marked it with a cross?"
answered Jack.

"Perhaps I _am_ stupid," thought Leo; "for I don't understand now how
one end can be both. I wish Jack would be a little more particular
about explaining a thing. It's queer how few fellows are! They jumble
their words all up, and think that because _they_ know what they mean,
you ought to understand, of course."

"Well," observed Jim, quizzically, "she isn't quite as handsome as the
barges on the lake in the park, that float up and down, looking like
white swans. Yes, I guess she'll do."

"We didn't set out to build a gondola, to paddle children and nursery
maids around in," retorted Rob, with a withering glance. "She's a
good, serviceable boat, and safe--"

"Oh, safe as a tub!" agreed Jim, hastily, intending the remark as
conciliatory.

"Huh! Perhaps you never tried to pilot a tub," interposed Leo. "I did
the other day, just for practice, so I'd know how to row when the time
came to use this here punt--if that's what you call it. Jimminy! I
got tipped over into the creek, and a scolding besides when I went
home! I'd be sorry to have her act like that."

"A tub is a tub and a boat is a boat," said Jack, sententiously. "This
one couldn't tip over if it tried.