Letty had stopped crying, and now she shouldered the oar, ready to carry it to The Sarah.
"How's it come you have one oar?" asked Captain Jenks, plainly puzzled. "Where's the other?"
"In the boat," said Letty. "We brought this ashore because the boys wanted to play jungle travelers and carry things slung on a pole over their shoulders. But the oar was too heavy for them to lift."
Captain Jenks laughed as he marshaled the children on the boat.
"I suppose Uncle Silas will be put out over the boat being lost," said Letty thoughtfully, pulling Nelson and Albert out of the captain's way as he started the engine. "He had just painted it and the oarlocks were new this year. I wish I had made sure that knot was tied."
"No use grieving over what's done and past," said Captain Jenks wisely. "Meg, we're going to lose Dot overboard again, if she isn't removed from that railing."
Sure enough, there was Dot half way over the railing, her small sandals hooked around a cleat in an endeavor to keep her balance. Just as Meg opened her mouth to call her, she turned.
"Ship ahoy!" she cried, trying to imitate Captain Jenk's most nautical term.
"Starboard or port?" asked the captain gravely, though his eyes twinkled.
The four little Blossoms had picked up several odds and ends of navigation in the few weeks they had known the captain, but Dot was too excited to remember what she had learned.