The ship carried a couple of small motor launches for connecting the shore with her anchorage.
They had purposely brought no chauffeurs with them, as Uncle John believed foreign drivers, who were thoroughly acquainted with the country, would prove more useful than the American variety, and from experience he knew that a French chauffeur is the king of his profession.
During the last days of the voyage Mr.Merrick busied himself in carefully inspecting every detail of his precious vehicles and explaining their operation to everyone on board.

Even the girls would be able to run an ambulance on occasion, and the boy developed quite a mechanical talent in mastering the machines.
"I feel," said young Jones, "that I have had a rather insignificant part in preparing this expedition, for all I have furnished--aside from the boat itself--consists of two lots of luxuries that may or may not be needed." "And what may they be ?" asked Dr.Gys, who was standing in the group beside him.
"Thermos flasks and cigarettes." "Cigarettes!" exclaimed Beth, in horror.
The doctor nodded approvingly.
"Capital!" said he.

"Next to our anodynes and anaesthetics, nothing will prove so comforting to the wounded as cigarettes.

They are supplied by nurses in all the hospitals in Europe.

How many did you bring ?" "Ten cases of about twenty-five thousand each." "A quarter of a million cigarettes!" gasped Beth.
"Too few," asserted the doctor in a tone of raillery, "but we'll make them go as far as possible.