dock, went down to the living room of the houseboat. There they found
Mrs. Bobbsey and Dinah putting away some of the things that had been
brought on board at the last moment.

"I 'clar t' goodness!" exclaimed the colored cook, "dish yeah
houseboatin' am wuss dan movin'!"

"Oh, not quite as bad as that," said Mrs. Bobbsey, with a laugh. "But
what are you going to do, Nan, dear? Do you like it, Dorothy?"

"Oh! indeed I do," answered the "seashore cousin," as Nan called her
to distinguish her from Harry, who lived in the country.

"We are just going to our rooms for a minute, mother," Nan answered.
"I want to show Dorothy my new sailor suit."

Every body on the houseboat was busy, even down to Flossie and
Freddie, and the two little twins were busy having fun.

Mrs. Bobbsey and Dinah were engaged in putting to rights the different
rooms, for there were a number on the Bluebird, which was built for a
large family. Bert and Harry were up on deck fishing, as the boat
moved slowly through the blue waters of Metoka Lake. Flossie and
Freddie, as I have said, were playing, the little girl with her doll,
and Freddie with a new toy his father had bought him.

As for Mr. Bobbsey, he was down in the engine room with "Captain
White." Mr. White was one of Mr. Bobbsey's men who had once been in
charge of a tugboat, but one day there was an accident aboard, and Mr.
White was made lame for life.