Mrs. Davenport was accustomed to her husband's desire to start at a moment's notice. He had made a like suggestion many times before.
At Beth's earnest solicitation, she was allowed to take Don with her.
The next morning, when they boarded the boat for Fort George's, Beth was very much surprised to behold Julia.
"Why, Julia, how nice of you to come down to see us off, but how did you know we were going?"
"I didn't come to see you off; I'm going to Fort George, too. Your papa was over last night and persuaded papa and mamma to go."
"Oh goody, goody, goody."
Julia and Beth took possession of the boat from the first moment. They inspected it from one end to the other. They made friends with the captain and those under him. They went up even to the pilot house and helped run the boat, or, at least, they thought they were helping. The morning proved a very happy one for them.
The trip delighted their parents also. They were content to sit still and watch the St. Johns as it curved and widened on its course to the ocean. There is hardly a more picturesque river in America.
As they neared the sea, its briny odor was wafted to them by the breeze. Great sand dunes rose on both sides of the river.
Upon reaching Fort George, the Davenport party drove in the 'bus to the hotel, over the hardest of shell roads. Magnificent palms lined the way on both sides. All the foliage, in fact, was extremely luxuriant. The island was more tropical than anything that the Davenports had seen, so far, in Florida.