"No! I guess I don't. I am tired enough with trying to understand a little. I'll let alone what I can. You'll know what a frigate is when you have been on board of her."
"But I think I should enjoy it a great deal more if I knew beforehand," said Dolly.
"You had best study a ship's dictionary. I am going to study what I shall wear."
"That you cannot tell yet," Christina remarked. "You do not know what sort of a day next Saturday, I mean, Saturday week, will be. It may be cold or"——
"It mayn't be hot," said the other. "It will be cold, cold enough. It's November. You can wear your prettiest winter things, young ladies."
A little while after, the group had broken up, and Dolly sought out one of the teachers and begged to know where she could find a "ship's dictionary."
"A ship dictionary? My dear, there is no such thing. What do you want to find out?"
"One of the girls said I could find out about ships in a ship's dictionary. We are going to see a man-of-war next week."
"Oh, and you want to study up the subject? It is a Marine Dictionary you are in quest of. Come to the library."
The library was always open to the girls for study purposes. The teacher was good-natured, and got out a big, brown square volume, and put it in Dolly's hand. Dolly had been followed by Christina; and now the two sat down together in a window recess on the floor, with the book before them. Dolly began at the beginning, and aloud.