Chapters 12-15 Summary

Chapter 12, "The Rena," opens with Dad's acquisition of a boat named "Rena," which he bought to reward the children for learning how to swim. He falls into the role of sailor when he climbs aboard, barking orders at his crew. Dad loves being on the boat, and travels far in his imagination while aboard. The kids are given positions according to their age, and they, too, slip into their roles. They swab decks and sing chanties as they learned about mooring. One stormy day, Dad is hit by the boom and knocked overboard. Right when the kids are concerned he won't surface, he does. The incident didn't slow him down much.

Chapter 13 is called "Have You Seen the Latest Model?" The latest model it refers to is the latest Gilbreth child. On their wedding day, Mother and Dad begin dreaming about...