The captain and Chester joined them now and entered into the talk, which ran principally upon the fact that all the relatives from Pleasant Plains must leave for home the next day.
"How would you all like to go by water ?" asked Captain Raymond, as if the thought of such a possibility had just struck him.
"I do not believe the idea has occurred to any of us," replied Annis, "and since the building of the railroad so few make the journey by water that the boats running on our river are few, small, and I presume not remarkably comfortable." "How would this one answer ?" he asked.

"It is but thirty-eight miles across the lake; I think we would find your river navigable nearly or quite up to your town, and to reach it from here would not take more than six or eight hours." "Then they could all go, as they need not all spend the night, or any part of it, on board," exclaimed Violet in tones of delight.

"Oh, Cousin Annis, and all of you, do agree to it, and we will have a charming little trip!" "Indeed, so far as I am concerned nothing could be pleasanter, I am sure," said Annis, looking highly pleased; "but--I fear it would be giving you a great deal of trouble, captain." "Not at all," he returned, "but on the contrary it will, I think, be a very enjoyable little trip to me and my wife and children." "Oh, I should like it very much!" exclaimed Lucilla; "there would be such a nice large party of us all the way to Pleasant Plains--supposing your river is navigable so far for a vessel of this size--and then the trip up the lake, a little visit to Mackinaw, and the sail back again, would be a restful and enjoyable break in the visit here to the Fair." "What do you say to the plan, Grandpa and Grandma Dinsmore, and mother ?" asked the captain, turning toward them.

"And you, Cousin Ronald ?" All expressed themselves as well pleased with the idea, and it was decided to carry it out.
"We will be happy to have you accompany us also, Chester and Frank, should you care to do so," said the captain cordially, "though I fear it will rob you of some of the time you had planned to spend at the Fair." "Thank you, captain," said Frank, "I, for one, accept your very kind invitation with great pleasure.

It will give me a glimpse of a part of our big country that I have never seen--in the pleasantest of company, too; and as to our visit to the Fair, we can prolong it by another week, if we choose." "So we can," said his brother, "and I, too, accept your kind invitation, captain, with cordial thanks." "Then let me advise you of Pleasant Plains to be on board here, bag and baggage, by eight, or at the latest nine, o'clock to-morrow morning," said Captain Raymond.