“Ah, to such an argument as that, there can be no reply; so I see you must be permitted to do what you like with us.”

“Very good,” continued Becker; “then there is one point decided:  my wife and I will occupy the children’s apartment.”

“And the children,” said Jack, “will occupy the open air.  For my own part, I have no objection:  that is a bedroom exactly to my taste.”

“Spacious,” remarked Ernest.

“Well-aired,” suggested Fritz.

“Hangings of blue, inlaid with stars of gold,” observed Frank.

“Any thing else?” inquired Becker.

“No, father, I believe the extent of accommodation does not go beyond that.”

“Therefore I have decided upon something less vast, but more comfortable for you; you will go every night to our villa of Falcon’s Nest.”

“On foot?”

“On horseback, if you like and under the direction of Willis, whom I name commander-in-chief of the cavalry.”

“Of the cavalry!” cried the sailor; “what! a pilot on horseback?”

“Do not be uneasy, Willis,” replied Jack, “we have no horses.”

“Ah, well, that alters the case.”

“But then we have zebras and ostriches.”

“Ostriches! worse and worse.”

“Say not so, good Willis; when once you have tried Lightfoot or Flyaway, you would never wish to travel otherwise:  they run so fast that the wind is fairly distanced, and scarcely give us time to breathe—­it is delightful.”

“Thank you, but I would rather try and get the canoe to travel on land.”

“Ah, Willis,” said Fritz, “that would be an achievement that would do you infinite credit—­if you only succeed.”

“Will you allow me to make a request, Mrs. Becker?”

“Listen to Willis,” said Jack, “he has an idea.”

“The request I have to urge is, that you will permit me to encamp on Shark’s Island, and there establish a lighthouse for the guidance of the Nelson, in case she should return.”

“What! the commander-in-chief of cavalry on an island?”

“No, not of the cavalry, but of the fleet; it is only necessary for Mr. Becker to change my position into that of an admiral, which will not give him much extra trouble.”

“I shall do so with pleasure, Willis.”

“In that case, since I am an admiral, the first thing I shall do, is to pardon myself for the faults I committed whilst I was a pilot.”

“Capital!” said Ernest, “that puts me in mind of Louis XII., who, on ascending the throne, said that it was not for the King of France to revenge the wrongs of the Duke of Orleans.”

“What, then, is to become of the boys?  I intended to make you their compass—­on land, of course.”

“The boys,” cried the latter, “are willing to enlist as seamen, and accompany the admiral on his cruise.”

“You will spin yarns for us, Willis, will you not?”