Ned was silent for a moment, first looking steadily toward the door from which the voice had seemed to come, then turning a scrutinizing, questioning gaze upon Cousin Ronald.
The others in the room were all watching the two and listening as if much entertained by the talk between them.
"I just know it's you, Cousin Ronald, making fun for us all," the little boy remarked at length; "and that's very kind in you, for fun is right good for folks, isn't it, Uncle Harold?"
"Yes, I think so," replied the doctor; "'laugh and grow fat' is an old saying. So I hope the fun will prove beneficial to my young patient."
"I hope so," said the captain, "and now suppose you young folks rest yourselves with some sort of games."
"I think we would all better wrap up and try a little exercise upon the deck first, and after that have some games," said Harold, and everybody promptly followed his advice.
When they had had their exercise and played a few games, dinner was served. After that they again gathered in the saloon, and presently the young folks asked for another of the captain's interesting stories of the States.
"Well, my dears, about which State do you wish to hear now?" he asked.
"I believe we all want Louisiana, papa," replied his daughter Elsie. "We know the story of the battle of New Orleans under General Jackson—that grand victory—and pretty much all that went on in the time of the Civil War, I believe; but I don't remember that you have ever given us any of the early history of that State."
"Well, I shall try to do so now," her father said in reply, and after a moment's silent thought he began.