Making the canopy.

The awning.

Seats for the oarsmen.

place it rested upon the rollers. These rollers were to facilitate its lanching.

The boys were immediately very eager to lanch the boat and have a sail; but Beechnut said there could be no lanching for the present. They must wait at least another week. They did in fact wait a fortnight, during which time very astonishing improvements were made on board. The boat was square and flat-bottomed. It was very wide too, so that the bottom formed quite a spacious floor. Beechnut divided off a portion near the stern, for a canopy. The canopy was supported by four posts, and covered with an awning. He then made two rows of seats for the oarsmen, extending from the middle of the boat forward, on each side. There were six on a side, making seats for twelve oarsmen in all. The boat was so wide that there was room between these seats at the sides for a considerable space in the middle of the boat which was unencumbered. Through this space the boys could walk up and down the boat, from the canopy to the bows, without interfering with the oarsmen. boat was so large and so solid in its construction that it was very steady, even when the boys were walking about the floor. So bulky

The

The lanching.

The first voyage.

and solid a structure would move of course very slowly through the water; but that Beechnut thought was a circumstance of no consequence whatever.

When all was ready, the boat was swept out, and then washed very clean, and a day was appointed for the lanching. Malleville came to see. The boys pried the boat off very easily into the water, placing new rollers under her continually as she advanced. When she was afloat, the boys gave her three cheers again, and then at Beechnut's direction they all embarked and set sail for the pond.

Working of the boat.

Satisfaction of the boys.

The boys were extremely pleased with the working of the oars, and with the slow but steady progress of the boat through the water. After entering the pond, they cruised along the shores of it, enjoying the prospect and admiring the action of the oars in propelling their vessel. For a time, it is true, the oars interfered with each other in some degree, and were frequently coming into collision. This was because the oarsmen had not learned to keep time in their strokes, so as to row all exactly together. They soon learned this, however, by practicing, under Beechnut's directions, and then they could propel the boat with great ease, and they even attained sometimes a considerable degree of speed. The boat continued to be used by the boys all the summer, and a great many very interesting excursions were made in it; though Beechnut often had difficulties with some of his crew.

The harbor for the Gibraltar.

The lieutenants.

Rules.

CHAPTER VII.

THE COURT-MARTIAL.

BEECHNUT established a harbor for his ship under a bridge not far from the house that Mr. Grey lived in. The bridge was in a very solitary place, where the water was very deep and still, and just below the bridge the brook took a turn to the left, between banks which were overhung with willows and other trees. spot was thus very cool, shady, and secluded. It was surrounded with dense thickets too, on every side. The boys cut a path through these thickets, leading from the harbor up to the road.*

The

Beechnut said that he was going to appoint four lieutenants for his ship, to take the command when he was absent. They were to be called the first, second, third, and fourth lieutenants; and the highest on the list who was present was always to command when Beechnut himself was away. The boat was never to go out unless one of the lieutenants could go

* See Frontispiece.

Case of Parker.

Not admitted to the crew.

Why.

and take the command, and not then without first coming and getting permission of Beechnut. Beechnut appointed three lieutenants, but said that he should postpone for a little time the appointment of the fourth.

Almost all the principal boys of the village enlisted in the crew. Parker was the principal exception. Even he wished to enlist, but Beechnut would not allow him to do so. He had been insubordinate and disobedient on a former occasion, when the boys were at an encampment in the woods, as has already been stated, and he had afterward refused to submit to a courtmartial. So Beechnut steadily refused to admit him any more into his service, until he should first submit to trial by court-martial for the old offence. He did not refuse to let him sail with the other boys in the Gibraltar, when there was room; but in such cases he always treated him as a passenger. He gave him a seat near the stern of the boat, and never addressed any commands to him, or allowed him to take any part in the services of the crew.

Parker pretended, for a time, to like this just as well as to be one of the crew like the rest. But he did not really like it as well. He would have often liked very much to row, or to assist