"Hello, Frank! what's that?" exclaimed he. "By gracious! it is a new boat!"
"So it is; and what an odd-looking craft!"
Both boys ran with all their might down to the little beach by the road to get a nearer view of the strange boat.
"My eyes! look at it!" ejaculated the wondering Charles.
"What can it mean? It wasn't there last night," said Frank.
"No; and it looks like the boats we read about in the fairy books. I shouldn't wonder if she dropped down out of the clouds. Isn't she a beauty?"
"That she is! And how long and slender she is!"
"One, two, three--twelve places for the oars," cried Charles.
"Uncle Ben knows something about her, I believe!" exclaimed Frank, as a beam of intelligence penetrated his mind.
"Just twig the bow! 'Tis as sharp as a razor."
"And there is her name on each side of it--Zephyr! What a pretty name it is!"
"So it is. That boat's a ripper, let me tell you!" said Charles enthusiastically.
"A what?" asked Captain Sedley, coming down from a thicket in the grove close by, where he had been enjoying the astonishment of the boys.
"O father!" exclaimed Frank, "whose is she? Where did she come from? What is she for?"
"One question at a time, Frank. But before I answer any of them, let me say a word to you, Charles. You said she was a 'ripper' just now."
"Not a very elegant word, though. I will warrant you cannot find it in the dictionary."
"I merely meant that it was a very fine boat."
"I presume you meant nothing wrong; but such expressions do not add anything to the force of language, and using them may induce a bad habit. If you associated with boys accustomed to use profanity, this desire to use strong words would lead you into the practice."
"Just now you said, 'By gracious!' Such phrases are apt to induce profanity, and are no addition whatever to the force of your remark."
"You were very much surprised at seeing this boat."
"Frank, it is yours," added Captain Sedley, turning with a smile to his son.
"Mine, father!" exclaimed Frank, clapping his hands.
"It is yours, and of course your friends will derive as much pleasure from its use as you will yourself."
"Two months ago, when the Bunkers first began to amuse themselves with the raft, the idea of procuring it occurred to me. I saw that you and Charles both had a great desire to join in their sports. For obvious reasons I could not permit Frank to do so; but I immediately resolved that you should have the means of enjoying yourselves on the lake in safety and comfort, and I ordered this boat to be built."