Part 16 (1/2)
The enthusiastic youth did not wait for the more tardy steps of age, but tumbled recklessly down the steep path, and leaped into the boat.
”Where is mother?” demanded Paul.
”She is coming. I wish we had a cannon; we would fire a salute.”
”No use of burning powder for nothing. There she comes.”
But it was some time before Mrs. Duncan could reach the beach, and John occupied the interim in various antics, such as running up the shrouds of the Fawn, hoisting and lowering the jib, lying down on the bobstay, and finally in tumbling overboard while attempting to perch himself on the end of the bowsprit. This accident did not in the least disturb his equanimity, and he had just shaken himself, like a Newfoundland dog, when his mother reached the beach.
”Whose boat is that, Paul?” asked Mrs. Duncan, who, during the last moments of her walk, had been gazing with admiration upon the trim craft.
”Mine, mother,” replied Paul, with a.s.sumed indifference.
”Mine, too,” added John.
”We own her together,” said Paul.
”Own her together? What do you mean by that? Haven't you learned better than to make sport of your mother, boys?”
”It is ours, certain true, mother!” cried John.
”You don't mean so?”
”It is a fact, mother,” replied Paul.
”Why, where, what in the world----”
”That's it, mother; I knew you'd come to it,” interposed John. ”To make a long story short, Captain Littleton made us a present of her.”
”Dear me!”
”Isn't she a beauty?”
”I should think she was.”
”Come, mother, we are going to take you out to sail in her. You shall try her right off,” said John. ”Jump aboard.”
”But I can't jump aboard. The water is knee-deep around her. Besides, supper is almost ready.”
”Never mind the supper. Jump in.”
”I can't jump in. Where _have_ you been, John? You are as wet as a drowned rat!”
”I fell into the tub just now; but never mind that.”
”But I do mind it; and you must go up and have on dry clothes before you go anywhere.”
”We will go up and have supper, and after that we will take you out,”