stop where we were; our only hope was it would change before anything
happened. By this time, Ethelbertha had taken a dislike to the yacht;
she said that, personally, she would rather be spending a week in a
bathing machine, seeing that a bathing machine was at least steady.

We passed another day in Harwich, and that night and the next, the wind
still continuing in the south, we slept at the "King's Head." On Friday
the wind was blowing direct from the east. I met Captain Goyles on the
quay, and suggested that, under these circumstances, we might start. He
appeared irritated at my persistence.

"If you knew a bit more, sir," he said, "you'd see for yourself that it's
impossible. The wind's a-blowing direct off the sea."

I said: "Captain Goyles, tell me what is this thing I have hired? Is it
a yacht or a house-boat?"

He seemed surprised at my question.

He said: "It's a yawl."

"What I mean is," I said, "can it be moved at all, or is it a fixture
here? If it is a fixture," I continued, "tell me so frankly, then we
will get some ivy in boxes and train over the port-holes, stick some
flowers and an awning on deck, and make the thing look pretty. If, on
the other hand, it can be moved--"

"Moved!" interrupted Captain Goyles. "You get the right wind behind the
_Rogue_--"