e don't mind it much.
She's a thoroughbred that takes what comes without whimpering. That's
the lady of her. I never have to offer excuses or apologies for
her--no, siree! Tell her what you want done and you can count on her
doing it every time."

"I'm sorry you didn't have a better voyage home," ventured his sister.

"Oh, the voyage was all right enough. You can't expect a marble floor
to sail on in December. Indeed a trip such as that would be almost too
tame for me. I like the kick of the sea. Still, heavy winds that hold
you back all the way over as these held us, are trying. You make but
slow progress against them. Nevertheless the _Charlotte_ put up a
stiff fight and don't you forget it."

"Had you any storms this trip?"

"Storms? Oh, I believe we did strike a gale or two, now I come to think
of it. I recall there was a nasty typhoon in the Indian Ocean that kept
us busy for a while. But such happenings are all in the day's work and
after they are over are forgotten."

Carl, busy at his task of slicing the bread, gasped. Gales and
typhoons! And the Indian Ocean to boot! And his uncle mentioned them
all as if they were no more than flies on the wall. He had seen the
Indian Ocean on the map--an area of blue edged about with patches of
pink, green, and yellow; but he certainly had never expected to meet in
the flesh anybody who had sailed its waters.

Uncle Frederick Dillingham suddenly began to take on in his eyes an
aspect quite new; an aspect so alluring that when contrasted with the
myth of purple and ermine the latter tradition shriveled into something
very minor in importance. Was not the master of a ship a far more
intriguing character than a dull old king who did nothing but sit on a
crimson velvet throne and wave a scepter?

"You'll have much to tell us, Frederick," declared Mrs. McGregor,
putting the potatoes into the oven. "The children know little of
foreign lands. Nor do I know as much of them as I would. 'Twill be
grand to hear where you've been and what you've seen."

"Did you go to China, Uncle Frederick?" Carl inquired timidly.

"Aye! And to India and Japan, laddie."

The boy's eyes glowed with excitement.

"Oh, wouldn't I like to sail on a big ship to some place that was
different from Mulberry Court!" cried he.

"The places I've been in lately were certainly different from Mulberry
Court!" sighed Captain Dillingham. "And perhaps had you seen them you
would be as glad as I am to be at