PREPARING FOR THE VOYAGE. 37 



boys went into the boat-house they saw on the shelves a nicely 

 bound copy of Ann Pratt's Fio-wering Plants of Great Britain 

 in six volumes. This was a great acquisition to them, and 

 Jimmy, in the fulness of his delight, got upon the table 

 with a volume under each arm, and executed a war-dance of 

 exultation. 



The consent of the ladies was far harder to obtain. Mrs. 

 Brett said she would see what Mrs. Merivale said ; and Mrs. 

 Merivale was afraid that it would not be safe, and for some 

 days she hung back, and would not say " yes " or " no," 

 although Frank pleaded hard with her. His mother was very 

 much afraid of the water. She did not like to see yachts heel- 

 ing over as if they were going to be upset, and she thought the 

 boys were not old enough to manage a yacht by themselves. 

 Frank at last persuaded her to take a sail in the Swan, and see 

 for herself how safe it was, and a day was fixed when everyone 

 should have a sail on the Broad, and try the capacities both of 

 the yacht and of the boys as sailors. When the day arrived, 

 however, Frank put them off, saying it was not convenient. 

 Mr. Merivale smiled as he guessed the reason. It was blowing 

 a stiff breeze, and sailing on such a day would not reassure a 

 timid woman. The next day, however, was fine, and came 

 with a gentle breeze, just rippling the surface of the water, and 

 with a confident air, Frank got his party on board. The sail 

 was quite a success. The yacht glided about on an even keel, 

 and Frank, who was at the helm, carefully avoided any abrupt 

 motion in tacking or gybing. * 



" You see it is quite safe, mother," said he. 



"Yes, my dear, I suppose it is, and I suppose you must go, 

 as you have set your heart upon it ; but how can you possibly 

 think of sleeping in that small cabin ? " 



" One of us will sleep at each side, and the third will sleep 

 in a hammock stretched across the middle." 



" But you will be suffocated, dear." 



" Have no fear, mother, we will see to the ventilation." 



So they obtained permission ro go, and, as time was an object, 

 they set to work with great vigour to prepare for their voyage. 

 They made a hammock out of an old sail. Their beds were 

 formed of cushions placed on the bunks on either side of the 

 cabin. To prevent the necessity of tucking in their bedclothes 

 they adopted a well-known dodge of yachtsmen; which is to 



