can't guess."

"I can't guess," said Dolly; "I don't know what there is to go to. The
Mint? Mrs. Delancy did speak of the Mint."

"Not a bit of it! Something else has come up. Guess again."

"Something has _come up_. Then it must be something new."

"It isn't new, either. Can't a thing come to you that isn't new?"

"But you're talking riddles, Eudora," the other two said, laughing.

"Well, I'll tell you. There's a man-of-war come up the river."

"A man-of-war"--Dolly repeated.

"You know what that means, I hope, Dolly Copley?"

"I don't know. It means a soldier. The Bible says, Goliath was a
man-of-war from his youth."

Dolly as she spoke looked mystified, and her words were met by a shout
of laughter so loud and ringing that it almost abashed the child. Some
other girls had joined the group and were standing around, and there
were many to laugh. However, Dolly was never given to false shame. She
waited for more light.

"It's a _ship_, Dolly," they cried. "You dear little innocent, don't
you know as much as that?"

"It's a ship; and this is a big one. It is lying out in the Delaware."

"Then why is it called a man-of-war?" said Dolly.

"Because it is a war ship. Won't it be fun! just think!--the guns, and
the officers, and the midshipmen!"

"What are midshipmen?"

"I don't know!" cried another. "They are somebodies that are always on
a man-of-war; and they are young too. Baby officers, I suppose."

"They _are_ officers," said the first speaker.

"No, they're not. They are learning to be officers. They're at school,
and their school is a man-of-war; and their teachers are the captain,
and the lieutenants, and so on."

"And what are their lessons about?" said Dolly.

"_I_ don't know. Oh, they are learning to be officers, you know. Really
they are boys at school."

"Some of them are old enough," remarked another.

"Learning _what_, Eudora?" said Dolly.

"How do I know, chicken? I've never been a midshipman myself. You can
ask them if you like, when we go on board. For we are going on board,
girls! Hurrah! We shall drive over to the Navy Yard, and there we shall
get into boats, and then we shall row--I mean be rowed--out into the
stream to the ship. It's a big frigate, the 'Achilles;' and Mrs.
Delancy knows the captain; and she says it's a good chance, and she
will not have us lose it. Hurrah, girls! this is prime."

"What's a _frigate?_" was Dolly's next question.

"Dolly Copley, you are rid