THE HOUSEBOAT UP-OOUNTRY. 119 



time ; if no reply is returned, they should send up a rocket, and at the same time burn a 

 blue light, continuing these signals at intervals until the return of the lost one is hopeless. 

 These signals must all be prearranged and understood. 



A trip up-country is an outing so generally indulged in nowadays that it would be 

 quite superfluous to say anything with regard to the provisioning of the boat. Usually the 

 arrangements are left to the "boy," but it can do no harm to overlook his list of stores, 

 wines, etc., a couple of days before starting. Sometimes, in the case of a couple of men 

 going away together in the same boat, matters are much simplified by ordering from the 

 well-known establishments here provisions and wines to last a given time. Any surplus can 

 always be returned. The tendency generally is to take far more in the commissariat line than 

 is really wanted or used. 



