FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52  
53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   >>   >|  
ble for shooting had arrived, and Dandy was in expectation that Colonel Raybone would order the preparations to be made for his annual excursion, either to the rivers above, or the lakes below, in search of game. Upon this event was based his hope of making his escape. The smiling month of May was ushered in with its pleasant days, and about a fortnight after his whipping Dandy had the satisfaction of hearing the subject broached. The excursion was a matter of considerable importance, for the planter was generally absent two or three weeks, during which time he and his party lived on board of the large sail-boat. As there were no guests at Redlawn, the people wondered who were to be the colonel's companions. "We will leave on Wednesday," said the planter to his son. "Are you going alone, father?" "Certainly not; you may go with me for one, and you may take Dandy with you. Jake and Cyd shall go to do the heavy work." "Who else? There is room enough in the cabin for four." "There is no one else to go. So we shall have the more room ourselves," replied the planter, as he walked away. Master Archy announced to Dandy and Cyd that they were to attend the party, and both expressed their satisfaction at the privilege accorded to them. They were directed to put the Isabel, which was the name of the boat, in good order for the trip. She had to be thoroughly washed and dried that she might be in readiness to receive her stores on the following day, which was Tuesday, and they hastened off to perform their task. The Isabel was about twenty-five feet long. She was very broad on the beam, and drew but very little water for a boat of her size. She was provided with a centre board, and worked admirably on the wind. She had been built expressly for the shallow waters of the lower lakes. She was schooner-rigged, and could carry a heavy press of sail, which the light winds of these inland lakes rendered necessary. The cabin was twelve feet long, and nine feet wide at the broadest part, and contained four berths. The "trunk," which was elevated about fifteen inches above the deck, afforded a height of about five feet beneath. The berths, which extended beneath the main deck, answered for beds by night, and sofas by day. The standing room, or open space abaft the cabin, was eight feet long, with cushioned seats on three sides. Forward of the cabin there was a "stow-hold," four feet long, in which the fuel and furnaces
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52  
53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
planter
 

berths

 

beneath

 

Isabel

 

satisfaction

 
excursion
 
provided
 

centre

 
worked
 

admirably


waters

 

schooner

 
rigged
 

shallow

 
expressly
 

Colonel

 
Raybone
 
readiness
 

receive

 

annual


washed

 

stores

 

twenty

 

considerable

 

perform

 

preparations

 

Tuesday

 

hastened

 

standing

 

extended


answered

 
furnaces
 

Forward

 

cushioned

 

shooting

 
height
 

rendered

 
twelve
 

inland

 
broadest

fifteen
 

inches

 
arrived
 
afforded
 

elevated

 

contained

 
expectation
 

companions

 
colonel
 

people