her tail."

"Oh, is there a real bird on the boat?" asked Flossie.

"No, papa is only joking," said Nan, with a smile.

Mr. Bobbsey put on his hat, and soon the whole Bobbsey family had
reached the place where the boat was tied. At the first sight of her,
with her pretty blue paint and white trimming, Nan cried:

"Oh, how lovely!"

"And how big it is!" exclaimed Freddie his eyes large and round with
wonder.

"Let's go aboard--where's the gang-plank?" asked Bert, trying to use
some boat language he had heard from his father's lumbermen.

The Bluebird was indeed a fine, large houseboat, roomy and
comfortable. The children went inside, and, after looking around the
main, or living room, and peering into the dining-room, Nan opened the
door of a smaller compartment. Inside she saw a cunning little bed.

"Oh, may I have this room?" she asked. "Isn't it sweet!"

"Here's another just like it," said Mrs. Bobbsey, opening the next
door.

"That will be mine," said Flossie.