"I don't think I care for any, thank you," said Raleigh. "Fact is--ah--I
dined last week, and am not hungry."

Noah laughed. "Oh, come below and watch us eat, then," he said. "It'll do
you good."

But there was no reply. Raleigh had plunged head first into his
state-room, which fortunately happened to be on the upper deck. The rest
of the spirits repaired below to the saloon, where they were soon engaged
in an animated discussion of such viands as the larder provided.

"This," said Dr. Johnson, from the head of the table, "is what I call
comfort. I don't know that I am so anxious to recover the House-boat,
after all."

"Nor I," said Socrates, "with a ship like this to go off cruising on, and
with such a larder. Look at the thickness of that puree, Doctor--"

"Excuse me," said Boswell, faintly, "but I--I've left my note-bub-book
upstairs, Doctor, and I'd like to go up and get it."

"Certainly," said Dr. Johnson. "I judge from your color, which is highly
suggestive of a modern magazine poster, that it might be well too if you
stayed on deck for a little while and made a few entries in your
commonplace book."

"Thank you," said Boswell, gratefully. "Shall you say anything clever
during dinner, sir? If so, I might be putting it down while I'm up--"