loor. The interior of the bed was fully exposed
to view. It was already occupied--not by snakes, but by a handful of
fat, squirming, little polliwogs.

"Ugh, I thought it was a snake--they were so slimy and cold!" Katy
shivered at the recollection.

Dr. Morton grimly gathered up the polliwogs, then, leaving his wife to
restore order, went into the boys' room and held a conversation behind
closed doors. No report of what was said ever reached the girls, but the
practical jokes ended then and there.

CHAPTER X

SUPPER AT THE CAPTAIN'S

Their late unpleasantness had made the young people unusually polite to
each other. Irritating subjects were carefully avoided the next day.
When they set out for the Captain's, Sherm gallantly handed Katy in to
the front seat to sit beside Ernest, while he sandwiched himself between
Jane and Gertie. The boys had finally concluded that the real joke was
on them and were trying to make up.

The Captain received them at the gate.

"I can't be grateful enough for that bread. I haven't had such bread
since I was a boy at home. I believe I am indebted to both Chicken
Little and Gertie for the treat. Wing Fan is consumed with envy and
asked me to-day if I would ask the honorable miss to tell him how she
make the so wonderful bread."

"I'd be delighted to," replied Chicken Little, "only it took more than
telling for Gertie and me. We tried ever so many times before we got it
just right, but, of course, Wing understands more about cooking than we
did."

"Well, judging by the bread, you seem to know a good deal about
cooking."

Sherm could not resist. "Yes, and the girls are first rate at sewing,
too!"

This was too much for them all. They laughed until the Captain begged to
be let in on the fun.

Their host had an unexpected treat for them. "You are to help me
christen my new row boat. It came four days ago, but I have been saving
it until you could all go with me."

He led the way down the creek to a long, deep pool, where a blue and
white skiff floated gaily at anchor. A piece of white cardboard was
tacked over the name so they could not see it.

"I covered it up to see if you could guess it. I'll give one of those
Siamese elephants to the one who gets it first."

A lively contest followed. The girls suggested all the poetical names
they could think of from Sea Rover to Bounding Billow. The boys, after a
few wild guesses, settled down to the names of places in the
ne