“Bully for you, mother dear! Fred, when can we start!” shouted Billy, tossing his cap up to the ceiling.
“We can start to-morrow; Captain Ed says we are in for a good spell of fine weather now,” replied Fred.
So as soon as the two boys returned from escorting their sister to Isola Bella, they began preparing for the cruise. The kindly Captain helped with the outfitting of the little dory, and remarked that if they got an early start in the morning they could have the flood-tide to help them up the bay and then have all of the ebb to come back on.
“I’ll keep a lookout about sunset and if the wind flushes out, I’ll come after you with the launch,” concluded he.
Mose willingly agreed to cook an early breakfast for the two boys and he also tipped a wink to Billy to come to the pantry and take a look in the cake-box.
Billy needed no second invitation and when he beheld the delicious-looking cake reposing there for appreciative cannibals, he sighed and asked, “Oh, Mose! That for us!”
“Ef yo’ don’ say nuffin about it! Ah’m gwine t’ see dat he is tenderly wrapped up an’ shet away in a box fo’ you’-all. But don’ go an’ get Pore Mose in bad at supper t’night when they ain’t no dessert—onny preserves!”
And that evening a number of those seated about the supper-table noted how obediently Billy ate his dish of prunes. Paul grumbled and said he hated prunes and Dudley pushed back his plate full with a wry face. Both boys then looked for some other dessert but looked in vain!
“Prunes are awful good for one, aren’t they, mother? We ought to eat plenty of prunes to be healthy!” said Billy, virtuously.
Paul and Dudley stared at their chum in amazement.