Poor Frank Dunlop was an orphan, and was now the adopted son of Ara's
father. As for Tom, who was a year or two older, his father had wanted
him to go into business at home in England, but nothing would satisfy the
lad but going to sea, so he had been sent to rough it with his uncle in
the stormy seas of the Frozen North. The cruise now ended was his second,
and Tom wasn't tired of the sea yet.

Frank went back to school, and appeared no more at the cottage until
Christmas came round. Then not only Uncle, but Pete and Briton came to
spend a whole fortnight with the Dunlop family, and to make their final
plans for the spring. And I should say that no fortnight seemed to pass
so quickly to the children as did the two weeks when their visitors
stayed with them.

At last, one day in early spring, there left Hull on a trial trip one of
the handsomest little steamers, and, for her size, one of the strongest
that ever put to sea from that port. She was Captain Staysail's new ship,
the _Valhalla_. Everything on board, both on deck and between decks, and
in the saloon, was as clean and beautiful as if she had been a royal
yacht. The decks were as white as ivory, the polished wood shone in the
sun, and the brass-work looked like gold. The saloon itself, with its
curtains, its mirrors, tables pillars, and piano, was really fit for a
fairy princess to live in. Everything had been prepared under the eye of
Professor Peterkin himself, so everything was perfect in its way.

Pansy, who was on board, and had been peeping in some of the rooms, said
to Aralia at last: "Oh, Aralia, what a dear little doll's house of a
cabin; I should like to live in it always!"

Neither of the children was sea-sick when the _Valhalla_ went out under