The following morning, Mr. Leffingwell's car, crowded with the
whole family, was the first to arrive at the station. The Potter
boys wandered restlessly about until Colonel Bright, followed by
his wife and daughter and a Japanese house-man loaded with rugs
and bags, came breezing in with a hearty greeting for everybody.

Mr. Leffingwell bustled about, tipping everybody he could find
to tip. Timmins and the elevator boy took Asa out on the
platform and sat him on a truck where he could see everybody the
very last minute. And all at once it was the very last minute;
and somehow everybody had shaken hands and had talked loudly,
and the boys had kissed their mother--a kiss to be remembered,
and had swung on board. The train started. The boys strained
for one last look at their parents. They thought they smiled.

Asa turned to Timmins.

"Gee, the light hurts a feller's eyes," he said.





CHAPTER XII

SUNDAY AT SEA


It seemed to the boys as though they could never tire of the
novelty and charm of the open sea. By Sunday they had explored