"Let's go back," proposed a faint girlish voice, after the first excitement had subsided; but such a "cowardly course" was at once vetoed by a deep-toned "Forward!" from the boys, who bent to their oars with curved backs in their determination to prove how splendidly everything could be made to go off in spite of the series of ill omens.
The girls, however, could think of nothing else but the wonderful inauspicious coincidences, and although not one of them, when questioned individually, would acknowledge to being really superstitious, still the numberless stories told in which unlucky days and figures were shown at their worst were almost sufficient, one would think, to sink the boat of themselves.
Among others was the tale of the matter-of-fact ship-owner, who put no faith in any of the sailors' silly beliefs, and who, to prove their absurdity, laid the keel of a vessel on Friday, named it Friday, launched it on a Friday, at length succeeded in finding a crew for it commanded by a Captain Friday, set sail on that day, and—was never heard of afterward.
To offset the depressing effects of this tragic albeit somewhat doubtful narrative, Ralph told about the Thirteen Club which had been recently organized in the city, the membership of which was restricted to thirteen, and which met for dinner on the 13th of each month at a hotel the name of which was spelled with thirteen letters. "And nothing 'perfectly awful' has befallen any one of the members so far as heard from," concluded Ralph, exultingly.
There were certainly several grains of comfort to be extracted from this fact, and cheerfulness began to diffuse itself once more over the party, when Fanny Ray, who was steering, suddenly declared that the sight of salt-water on every side of her always made her thirsty for a drink of fresh, and a search was at once instituted for the water jug.
"I saw Graham put it somewhere in the stern here," continued Fanny; "but don't any of you boys try to get at it, for you'll be sure to put your foot into the basket of cake or the jar of jelly. Here, Hatty, I think I feel it right down here; but Ralph says I mustn't let go of the ropes; so will you please stoop down and lift it out for me?"
Now, as may be imagined, with a party of thirteen aboard, there was not much spare room in the boat, so when anything was wanted from the bottom of it, it had to be felt, not looked for.
"I've got hold of the cork, at any rate," she presently announced, "but the jug seems to be wedged in some way. There, now! I've pulled the cork out. Oh dear! why didn't I find the handle?"
"Let me try," proposed George, giving his oar to Phil Hallibey, and making his way aft.
"Here's the glass!" exclaimed Albertina; "and I'm thirsty too."