nd says that we must make no preparations, but let him
take things just as they are. He's a Christian soul, that's what he is."

"What is to be the order of the evening?" asked Mrs. Merryweather,
addressing Bell with a shade of warning in her voice. "Are we to have
games, or boat-building?"

"Oh! boat-building! the regatta is to-morrow, and we are not half
ready."

There was a general rush toward cupboards and lockers, and in an
incredibly short space of time the whole room was a pleasant litter of
chips, shingles, and brown paper. The rules for the regattas at
Merryweather were few and simple. All boats must be built by their
owners, unaided; no boat must be over a foot long from stem to stern;
all sails must be of paper. Aside from these limitations, the fancies of
the campers might roam at will; accordingly, the boats were of every
shape and description, from Kitty's shingle, ballasted with pebbles, to
Phil's elaborate catamaran. Peggy was struggling with a stout and
somewhat "nubbly" piece of wood, which was slowly shaping itself under
the vigorous strokes of her jack-knife.

"She's coming on!" Peggy declared, cheerfully. "She really begins to
look quite like a boat now, doesn't she, Mr. Merryweather?"

"Certainly!" the Chief assented. "I don't see why she should not make a
very good boat, Peggy. I would round off her stern a bit, if I were you.
So! that's better."

"What is her name, Peggy?" inquired Mrs. Merryweather. "I must be
entering the names in the Log."

"The _Lovely Peggy_, of course!" said Phil. "What else should it be?"

"It might be the _Limavaddy_!" said Gerald.

"Gerald, I _wish_ you would tell me what you mean by 'Limavaddy,'" said
Peggy. "It sounds like--I don't know what; tea-caddy, or something like
that. Mrs. Merryweather, won't you tell me what it means?"

"It is a compliment he is paying you, Peggy," said her hostess, smiling.
"Peg of Limavaddy is the charming heroine of a charming ballad of
Thackeray's.

"'This I do declare,
Happy is the laddy
Who the heart can share
Of Peg of Limavaddy.
Married if she were,
Blest would be the daddy
Of the children fair
Of Peg of Limavaddy.
Beauty is not rare
In the land of Paddy,
Fair beyond compare
Is Peg of Limavaddy.'

That is not one of the prettiest stanzas, but it shows you why Gerald
has nicknamed you."