Bert wished, very much indeed, that he could have taken some of his
boy friends down to the houseboat, but his father had a good reason
for not wanting any boys aboard, unless he could be with them. Workmen
were making certain changes in the craft, and doing some painting
inside and outside.

A few days after this, when the Bobbsey twins reached home from
school, Mrs. Bobbsey met them at the door, saying:

"I have good news for you, children!"

"What is it?" cried Bert.

"Don't we have to go to school any more?" Freddie.

"Are we going on the houseboat sooner than we expected?" Nan wanted to
know.

"It's about your two cousins--Harry and Dorothy," went on Mrs.
Bobbsey. "They have both accepted our invitations, and they will come
with us on the trip! Won't that be nice?"

"Lovely!" exclaimed Nan, her eyes shining with delight. "Dorothy and
I'll have such nice times together!"

"And Harry and I'll catch a lot of fish," declared Bert.

The days went on. The houseboat was nearly ready for her trip. Very
soon school would close.