CHAPTER I


Three men need change--Anecdote showing evil result of deception--Moral
cowardice of George--Harris has ideas--Yarn of the Ancient Mariner and
the Inexperienced Yachtsman--A hearty crew--Danger of sailing when the
wind is off the land--Impossibility of sailing when the wind is off the
sea--The argumentativeness of Ethelbertha--The dampness of the
river--Harris suggests a bicycle tour--George thinks of the wind--Harris
suggests the Black Forest--George thinks of the hills--Plan adopted by
Harris for ascent of hills--Interruption by Mrs. Harris.

"What we want," said Harris, "is a change."

At this moment the door opened, and Mrs. Harris put her head in to say
that Ethelbertha had sent her to remind me that we must not be late
getting home because of Clarence. Ethelbertha, I am inclined to think,
is unnecessarily nervous about the children. As a matter of fact, there
was nothing wrong with the child whatever. He had been out with his aunt
that morning; and if he looks wistfully at a pastrycook's window she
takes him inside and buys him cream buns and "maids-of-honour" until he
insists that he has had enough, and politely, but firmly, refuses to eat
another anything. Then, of course, he wants only one helping of pudding
at lunch, and Ethelbertha thinks he is sickening for something. Mrs.
Harris added that it would be as well for us to come upstairs soon, on
our own account also, as otherwise we should miss Muriel's rendering of
"The Mad Hatter's Tea Party," out of _Alice in Wonderland_. Muriel is
Harris's second, age eight: she is a bright, intelligent child; but I
prefer her myself in serious pieces. We said we would finish our