The interesting session of the party over the travels of the famous Venetian were brought to a close. The Doctor complimented the boys on the excellent work they had done in making a condensed account of the book, and said he was so pleased with them that he would give them a similar piece of employment whenever the opportunity occurred.
"It is a capital way," said Fred, "to fix in mind what we have read. I find that I read with greater care when I know I must make a summary of a book than if I am to throw it down when through and think no more of it. I'm very glad we had to go through Marco Polo's history in this way."
"And I too," Frank added. "But it is what we used to dislike so much at school."
"What was that?" Fred asked.
"Why, writing compositions, to be sure," Frank responded. "Don't you remember how we used to detest it?"
"Of course I do," was the answer; "but we always did it without an object. The teacher told us to write something about 'spring,' or 'the beauties of nature,' or some other subject that was not at all definite. Now if he had given us an interesting book to read, and said he wanted us to do with it as we have done with this, we should have 'written a composition' with some relish."
"It will be eight bells soon," the captain interrupted, "and if you want to see me take the sun you had better come forward."
CAPTAIN CLANCHY AT WORK.