At length an event occurred which gave them the long desired opportunity of making use of the boat in a voyage to the islands.
This event was the receipt by Bart of a letter from Bruce Rawdon. It was as follows:—
“Dear old Bart: How are you, and how have you been enjoying yourself? Are you aware that four weeks have passed, and that our holidays will soon be over? I’ve got several things to say, and others to propose, and therefore I take my pen in hand on the present occasion.
“First of all, Tom is with us, and has been all along. A week after we got home, he received a letter from his father, who told him that he was going to England with his mother, and that he might stay with us, and go back to school with us. Well, Tom was a little disappointed, but not so very much, after all. So he’s been here ever since. The next thing I have to tell you is, the arrival here of a mutual friend and benefactor. You see it happened this way: The other day I was down on one of the wharves, when I was struck by a familiar-looking craft, and on going nearer it became still more familiar. So I jumped on board in a state of high excitement, and put my head into the opening of a very familiar cabin, when suddenly it encountered another head that was putting itself out. And who do you think it was? I won’t keep you in suspense. It was Captain Corbet! Yes, it was himself, as meek, as mild, as paternal, and as venerable as ever. He came here after oats. With him is Mr. Wade, whose ‘ole ’oman’s name’ he still insists is Gipson, and he also asserts that we won’t find many of that name in this country.
“Well, now I come to the point of my letter. We have persuaded the venerable Corbet to give up oats for the present and charter his ship to us. We have organized a campaign around the Bay de Chaleur. We are going to operate by sea and land. Now, what do you say to it? Will you come? Is Phil with you, and Pat? Have you got Solomon? What do you say? Can you resist? Can you keep away when you hear that the Antelope is once more upon the waters, and that the flag of the B. O. W. C. is again floating from her masthead? Resist? You know you can’t.
“And so I merely remark that we shall be at Shippegan, on the Bay de Chaleur, on the 15th of August. This gives you two or three weeks to reach us. We shall expect you. Bring Phil. Bring Pat. Bring Solomon. Without the glow of his beloved countenance shining upon us as it beams over the cooking-stove, no expedition is worth having.
“We start in a few days. You need not answer, as there will not be time to get your letter. We all count upon meeting you at Shippegan on August 15.
“The venerable Corbet sends his blessing.
“Yours in B. O. W. C.
“Bruce Rawdon.”