"Only in pictures," replied the girl.
"Well, it's as big as that, nearly," said he.
The temptation was irresistible, and Miss Rumbolt, telling her father
that she should not be long, disappeared into the house in search of her
hat and jacket, and ten minutes later the brawny rowers were gazing
their fill into her deep blue eyes as she sat in the stern of the boat,
and told Lewis to behave himself.
It was but a short pull out to the schooner, and Miss Rumbolt was soon
on the deck, lavishing endearments on the monkey, and energetically
prodding the bear with a handspike to make him growl. The noise of the
offended animal as he strove to get through the bars of his cage was
terrific, and the girl was in the full enjoyment of it, when she became
aware of a louder noise still, and, turning round, saw the seamen at the
windlass.
"Why, what are they doing?" she demanded, "getting up anchor?"
"Ahoy, there!" shouted Hezekiah sternly. "What are you doing with that
windlass?"
As he spoke, the anchor peeped over the edge of the bows, and one of the
seamen running past them took the helm.
"Now then," shouted the fellow, "stand by. Look lively there with them
sails."
Obeying a light touch of the helm, the schooner's bow-sprit slowly swung
round from the land, and the crew, hauling lustily on the ropes, began
to hoist the sails.
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