“I don’t see how the boat is to carry all the people,” Nora remarked.

“O yes,” said Daisy, “it is a big boat; it will hold everybody, I guess; and it goes with a sail, Nora.  Won’t that be nice?  Papa knows how to manage it.”

“It will want a very large boat to take us all,” Nora persisted.  “I went out with Marmaduke in a sail-boat once—­he knows how to manage a sail-boat too;—­and I am sure it wouldn’t have held half as many people as we have got here.  No, nor a quarter as many.”

“O yes, but our boat is bigger, I suppose,” said Daisy.  “Don’t you like to go in a boat, Nora?”

“I like it if it don’t lean over too far,” said Nora.  “I thought it was going to turn over once or twice, when I was out with Marmaduke that time.  I was afraid.”

“I am not afraid with papa,” said Daisy.  “I know he can manage it.”

“Why so can Marmaduke manage it,” said Nora; “and he said I needn’t be afraid; but I was.”

The carriages took the whole party down to the shore in a few minutes.  There lay the sail-boat all ready, her sails shaken out; and James and Sam, on board already, received basket after basket from the hands of Logan and the coachman and stowed them away in what seemed to be a place of ample accommodations.  Daisy and Nora, hand in hand, stood on the shore looking at all that was done, and with eager eyes.  The summer breeze just played lightly and rippled the water, on which the morning sun made a warm glow, early in the day as it was.

“What could so many baskets be wanted for?” said Nora.

“Why, to carry all the things.  You know there will be a great many people to eat dinner at Silver Lake.”

“Dinner?” said Nora; “do people eat dinner when they go to a pic-nic?”

“Why yes.  What do you think they do?”

“I thought it was just a pic-nic.”

[Illustration]

“What is that?” said Daisy curiously.  But just then there was a stir; the ladies and gentlemen were getting into the boat, and the children had to be ready for their turn.  It came; and Mr. Randolph handed one after the other safe over the gunwale of the big sail-boat and placed them happily beside each other in the middle space, where they could have an excellent time for talking.  But they wanted no talking at first.  When all were aboard and ready, the boat was cast loose from the shore and her sail trimmed to catch the soft northerly air that came blowing down the river.  Slowly the sail caught the breeze—­would it be strong enough to take her? the children thought—­slowly, very slowly, the boat edged its way out from the shore—­then the breeze filled the sail full, took good hold, and began to push the little vessel with a sensible motion out towards the river channel.  Steady and sweet the motion was, gathering speed.  The water presently rippled under the boat’s prow, and she yielded gently a little to the pressure on the sail, tipped herself gracefully a little over, and began to cleave her way through the rippling water in good earnest.  Then how the waves sparkled! how cheery the movement was! how delicious the summer air over the water! although, the sun was throwing down his beams with great power already and the, day promised to be sultrily hot.