Sherm could not resist. “Yes, and the girls are first rate at sewing, too!”
This was too much for them all. They laughed until the Captain begged to be let in on the fun.
Their host had an unexpected treat for them. “You are to help me christen my new row boat. It came four days ago, but I have been saving it until you could all go with me.”
He led the way down the creek to a long, deep pool, where a blue and white skiff floated gaily at anchor. A piece of white cardboard was tacked over the name so they could not see it.
“I covered it up to see if you could guess it. I’ll give one of those Siamese elephants to the one who gets it first.”
A lively contest followed. The girls suggested all the poetical names they could think of from Sea Rover to Bounding Billow. The boys, after a few wild guesses, settled down to the names of places in the neighborhood, and women’s names.
The Captain laughed at their wild hazards.
181“It isn’t the name of any ship or famous naval hero?” Ernest asked this question for the second time.
The Captain shook his head. “Some of your neighborhood guessers were the nearest. There’s one thing I’m sure of, Chicken Little won’t guess it.”
This was hint enough for Sherm. “Chicken Little,” he sang out instantly.