The _Queen_ puffed sedately toward shore. They heard the clang of bells in the engine room and the steady chouf-chouf of the exhaust cease. The smoke drifted lazily from the funnels. Bells clanged again and the paddle wheel at the stern went into the back motion, churning the water into white froth. The forward speed of the _Queen_ was checked and the big double-decker nosed into its pier.
"There's old Capt. Billy Tucker sticking his white head out of the pilot house," said Tom. "He's probably put a few new planks in the _Queen's_ rotten old hull and gotten another O. K. from the boat inspectors. But if that old tub ever hits anything, the whole bottom will cave in and she'll sink in five minutes."
"That's not a very cheerful Fourth of July idea," said Margaret. "Come on, let's eat. Your mother called us hours ago."
They had finished breakfast and were leaving the table when Mrs. Blair spoke.
"I've decided not to go down to Sandy Point with you," she said. "The crowd will be so large I'm afraid I wouldn't enjoy it very much."
"But we've planned on your going, Mother," said Helen.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you," smiled her mother, "but Margaret's mother and I will spend the day on the hill here. We'll be able to see the aerial circus perform and really we'll enjoy a quiet day here at home more than being in the crowd."
"It won't be very quiet if those kids keep on shooting giant crackers," said Tom.
"They'll be going to the celebration in another hour or two and then things will quiet down," said Mrs. Blair.
"How about a plane ride if the circus has time to take us?" asked Tom.
Helen saw her mother tremble at Tom's question, but she replied quickly.
"That's up to you, Tom. You know more about planes than I do and if you're convinced the flying circus is safe, I have no objection." But Helen made a mental reservation that the planes would have to look mighty safe before any of them went aloft.
They hurried down the hill to the pier which Jim Preston used. The boatman and his helpers had just finished polishing the three speed boats Preston owned, the _Argosy_, the _Liberty_ and the _Flyer_, which had been raised from the bottom of the lake and partially rebuilt.
"All ready for the big day?" asked the genial boatman.