Stephen stood speechless before them.
"What are you thinking of, son?" his father asked.
"Why, I—" the boy hesitated.
"Come, tell us! I'd like to know, too," echoed Mr. Ackerman.
"Why, to be honest I was wondering how you happened to pick these particular four for your mantel," replied the lad with confusion.
The steamboat man smiled kindly.
"You think there are handsomer boats in the room than these, do you?"
"Certainly there are better looking steamships than this one," Steve returned, pointing with a shrug of his shoulders at the clumsy side-wheeler.
"But that rather ugly craft is the most important one of the lot, my boy," Mr. Tolman declared.
"I suppose that is true," Mr. Ackerman agreed. "The fate of all the others hung on that ship."