"You may put my name into that list, captain," said Mr. Lilburn. "I'm a bit too auld to take part in a fight, even in a righteous cause, but not for taking an interest in the means provided for ither folk."
"And I want to see it, too, though I hardly expect to ever make one of the crew of such a vessel," said Walter.
"And we girls will want to visit her also," laughed Rosie, "though I am very sure no one of us will ever form part of such a crew."
"Well, as my father has and my brother expects to, I shall be very much interested," said Grace.
"Especially as we shall have a retired officer to explain everything to us," added Lulu with a smiling look up into her father's face.
He returned the smile, then pointing southward, "Yonder it is," he said, "still too distant for a critical survey, but a better view will be afforded us presently, as we pass it."
As he spoke all eyes turned in that direction.
"Oh, what a big vessel she is!" exclaimed Grace, as they drew near enough to obtain a good idea of her size.
"Yes," returned the captain, "she is a full sized model, above water line, of our coast line battleships Oregon, Massachusetts, Indiana."
"Not a real ship, papa?"