time, and Veevee racing round the deck like a live muff.

"Tom, you young rascal, jump down here at once. This is all your work.
Now, give a full account of it, sir."

"Oh, I do hope, Uncle, you'll forgive me, but Frank and little Pansy and
Aralia did want to come with us so much, that--that--!"

"That you took them as stowaways, eh?"

"I'm afraid that's it, sir."

The captain pretended to be awfully angry, and said he would put about
and land the lot at Aberdeen.

"In the meantime, go below, children, and get yourselves washed; the
steward will see to you. Steward!"

"Ay, ay, sir, I'se heah, sah."

"Let Miss Aralia and Pansy have that spare cabin near mine. I'll talk to
you afterwards, Tom."

Tom hung his head in sorrow--so it seemed,--but it really was to hide a
smile.

He got near enough to his sisters to say: "Keep up your pecker, Pansy,
for there won't be any Aberdeen about it."

In the spare cabin stood a big box that nobody had noticed before. Tom