personal preferences for immediate action. I have examined the wake of the
House-boat, and I judge from the condition of what, for want of a better
term, I may call the suds, when she left us the House-boat was making ten
knots a day. Almost any craft we can find suitably manned ought to be able
to do better than that; and if you could summon Charon and ascertain what
boats he has at hand, it would be for the good of all concerned."

"That's a good plan," said Johnson. "Boswell, see if you can find Charon."

"I am here already, sir," returned the ferryman, rising. "Most of my boats
have gone into winter quarters, your Honor. The _Mayflower_ went into dry
dock last week to be calked up; the _Pinta_ and the _Santa Maria_ are slow
and cranky; the _Monitor_ and the _Merrimac_ I haven't really had time to
patch up; and the _Valkyrie_ is two months overdue. I cannot make up my
mind whether she is lost or kept back by excursion steamers. Hence I
really don't know what I can lend you. Any of these boats I have named you
could have had for nothing; but my others are actively employed, and I
couldn't let them go without a serious interference with my business."

The old man blinked sorrowfully across the waters at the opposite shore.
It was quite evident that he realized what a dreadful expense the club was
about to be put to, and while of course there would be profit in it for
him, he was sincerely sorry for them.

"I repeat," he added, "those boats you could have had for nothing, but the
others I'd have to charge you for, though of course I'll give you a
discount."

And he blinked again, as he meditated upon whether that discount should be
an eighth or one-quarter of one per cent.