in a canal-boat, my child," said Leicester, instructively.
"But you said we'd go on the canal," insisted Fairy; "and I want to see what a canal is like. There is one in my geography – "
"Skip aboard, kidlums, and you'll soon see what a canal is like," said Leicester, who was marshaling his party over the gangplank.
The Mamie Mead was the very smallest steamboat the children had ever seen, and it seemed like playing house to establish themselves on its tiny deck. Dare seemed to find it inadequate to his ideas of proportion, and he stalked around, knocking over chairs and camp-stools with a fine air of indifference.
Grandma Dorrance, who by this time was rather tired by the journey, was made as comfortable as possible, and then the children prepared to enjoy the excitements of their first trip on a canal.
The smoothness of the water amazed them all, and they wondered why it wasn't more like a river.
The locks, especially, aroused awe and admiration.
By the time they went through the first gate they had made the acquaintance of the captain, and could watch the performance more intelligently. It seemed nothing short of magic to watch the great gates slowly close, and then to feel their own boat rising slowly but steadily, as the water rushed in from the upper sluice.
"It's just like Noah and the Ark," exclaimed Fairy, "when the floods made them go up and up."
"It's exactly like that," agreed Dorothy, as the waters kept rising; "and we've nearly as many animals on board as he had."
All too soon they had risen to the level of the lake, and another pair of great gates swung open to let them through.
"Are we going to stay on top?" asked Fairy; "or must we go down again?"
"You'll stay on top this time, little missie," said good-natured old Captain Kane, smiling at Fairy. "This boat ain't no submarine to dive down into the lake."
"But you dived up into the lake," insisted Fairy.
"That was the only way to get here, miss. But any day you would like to go back and dive down, here's the man that will take you. The Mamie Mead is always glad of passengers. She don't get none too many nowadays."
"Why doesn't she?" asked Leicester, with interest.
"Well, you see, sir, since the hotel's been empty, they ain't no call for Mamie much. So whenever you kids wants a free ride, just come down to the dock and wave something. If so be's I'm goin' by, I'll stop and take you on. Is the place you're goin' near the hotel?"
"Near the hotel!" cried Dorothy; "why we're going to the hotel."
"You can't. 'Tain't open."
"I know it," said Dorothy; "but it will be when we get there. We have all the keys."
"For the land's sake! And what are you goin' to do there?"
"We're going to live there," exclaimed Leicester; "we own the place, – that is, my grandmother does."
"Own it? Own the Dorrance place?"
"Yes; we're all Dorrances."
"For the land's sake! Well, when you want to go down to the station for anything, this here boat's at your service, – that is, if I'm up this way."
"Do you come up this way often?" asked Dorothy, who appreciated the possible value of this offer.
"I allus comes once a week, miss. I goes over to Dolan's Point every Saturday. Will you be here till Saturday?"
"Saturday! Why we're going to stay all summer."
"Beggin' your pardon, miss, but I don't think as how you will. Just the few of you shakin' around in that big hotel! It's ridikilus!"
"Ridiculous or not, we're going to do it," said Leicester, stoutly; "but we thank you for your offer, Captain Kane, and very likely we'll be glad to accept it."
"Well, there's your home," said Captain Kane, as a large white building began to be visible through the trees.
Without a word, the Dorrance children looked in the direction the captain indicated.
High up on the sloping shore of the lake, they saw a great house which seemed to be an interminable length of tall, white columns supporting tiers of verandas.
"Oh!" exclaimed Dorothy, "that can't be it! that great, big place!"
"It looks like the Pantheon," said Lilian.
"You mean the Parthenon," said Leicester; "but I never can tell them apart, myself. Anyway, if that's the Dorrance Domain, it's all right! What do you think, Fairy?"
Fairy looked at the big hotel, and then said thoughtfully, "I guess we'll have room enough."
"I guess we will," cried Dorothy, laughing; and then they all ran to Grandma Dorrance, to show her the wonderful sight.
The good lady was also astounded at the enormous size of the hotel, and greatly impressed with the beauty of the scene. It was about three o'clock, on a lovely May afternoon, and the hotel, which faced the west, gleamed among trees which shaded from the palest spring tints to the dark evergreens. It was at the top of a high slope, but behind it was a background of other hills, and in the distance, mountains.
"Aren't you glad we came? Oh, grannymother, aren't you glad we came?" cried Dorothy, clasping her hands in ecstasy.
"Indeed I am, dear; but I had no idea it was such an immense house. How can we take care of it?"
"That question will come later," said Leicester; "the thing is now, how shall we get to it. How do people get to it, Captain Kane?"
"Steps," answered the captain, laconically.
"Up from the dock?"
"Yep; a hundred and forty of 'em."
"Oh, how can grandmother climb all those?"
"Settin'-places all the way along," suggested the captain, cheerfully.
"Oh, you mean landing-places on the stair-way?"
"Yep; so folks can rest. I guess your grandma'll get up all right; but what about all your trunks and things?"
"Why I don't know," said Leicester, suddenly losing his air of capable importance.
"Well, there's old Hickox; you might get him."
"Where can we find Mr. Hickox?"
"He's most generally settin' around the dock. Favorite restin'-place of his. Think I can see him there now."
After a few moments more the Mamie Mead bumped against the dock.
"Our own dock!" cried Dorothy; "oh, isn't it gorgeous!"
Probably such an excited crowd had never before landed from the Mamie Mead. The children all talked at once; Grandma Dorrance seemed rejuvenated by the happy occasion; Tessie was speechless with delight; Dare gave short, sharp barks expressive of deep satisfaction and the canary bird burst into his most jubilant song. Doubtless the kitten was purring contentedly, if not audibly.
The trunks and other luggage were put out on the dock, and Mr. Hickox sauntered up and viewed them with an air of great interest.
"I guess this is where I come in handy," he said, with a broad smile and a deferential bob of his head that somehow seemed to serve as a general introduction all around.
Mr. Hickox was a strange looking man. He was very tall, indeed, by far the tallest man the children had ever seen; and he was also very thin. Or perhaps lean is a more expressive word to describe Mr. Hickox, for he gave no impression of ill-health, or emaciation, but rather the leanness of muscular strength. His brown hair and side-whiskers were touched with gray, and his tanned face was wrinkled, but he did not seem like an old man. His blue eyes twinkled with good-humor, and his voice was delightfully kind.
Instinctively the Dorrance children felt that they had found a friend in this strange man, and they were grateful.
"Could you tell us, sir," said Leicester, "how we are going to get these trunks and things up to the hotel?"
"Well,