“Now tell us all about it, but one at a time,” said Uncle Steve, as at last breakfast was served, and they all sat round the table.  “King, your version first.”

“Well, we all went out for an early morning row, and somehow we got to carrying on, and that round-bottomed boat tipped so easily, that somehow we upset it.”

“It’s a wonder you weren’t drowned!” exclaimed Grandma.

“I just guess it is!” agreed Marjorie; “and we would have been, only King saved us!  Kitty was ’most drowned, and King went down in the water and fished her up, and Molly helped a good deal, and I stayed on the other side and balanced the boat.”

“The girls were all plucky,” declared King, “and the whole thing was an accident.  It wasn’t wrong for us to go out rowing early in the morning, was it, Father?”

“I don’t think it was the hour of the day that made the trouble, my son.  But are you sure you did nothing else that was wrong?”

“I did,” confessed Marjorie, frankly.  “I splashed water, and then the others splashed water, and that’s how we came to upset.”

“Yes, that was the trouble,” said Mr. Maynard; “you children are quite old enough to know that you must sit still in a boat.  Especially a round-bottomed boat, and a narrow one at that.”

“It was Molly’s fault more than Midget’s,” put in Kitty, who didn’t want her adored sister to be blamed more than she deserved.

“Well, never mind that,” said Marjorie, generously ignoring Molly’s part in the disaster.  “There’s one thing sure, Kitty wasn’t a bit to blame.”

“No,” said King, “Kit sat quiet as a mouse.  She wouldn’t upset an airship.  Mopsy and I were the bad ones, as usual, and I think we ought to be punished.”

“I think so, too,” said Mr. Maynard, “but as this is a vacation holiday I hate to spoil it with punishments, so I’m going to wait until you cut up your next naughty trick, and then punish you for both at once.  Is that a good plan, Mother?”

“Yes,” said Mrs. Maynard, looking fondly at the culprits, “but I want to stipulate that the children shall not go out in the boat again without some grown person with them.”

“I’m glad of that,” said Marjorie, “for no matter how hard I try I don’t believe I could sit perfectly still in a boat, so I’ll be glad to have some grownup go along.”

“That’s my chance,” exclaimed Uncle Steve, “I’ll take you any time you want to go, Midget, and I’ll guarantee to bring you back without a ducking.”

“Thank you, Uncle Steve,” said Marjorie; “shall we go right after breakfast?”

“Not quite so soon as that, but perhaps to-morrow.  By the way, kiddies, what do you think of having a little party while you’re here?  That would keep you out of mischief for half a day.”

“Oh, lovely!” exclaimed Marjorie.  “Uncle Steve, you do have the beautifullest ideas!  What kind of a party?”

“Any kind that isn’t a ducking party.”