When they had finished looking at the yacht, they jumped ashore again, and then, after securing the craft of which he was so proud, the Captain took the children to his house. It was a cunning little house, this house of the Captain's. It was only one story high, and it was as white and clean as a new table-cloth, while the window-shutters were as green as the grass that grew around it. Tall trees surrounded it on every side, making shade for the Captain when the sun shone, and music for the Captain when the wind blew. In front there was a quaint porch, all covered over with honeysuckles, smelling sweet, and near by, in a cluster of trees, there was a rustic arbor, completely covered up with vines and flowers. Starting from the front of the house, a path wound among the trees down to the little bay where lay the yacht; and on the left-hand side of this path, as you went down, a spring of pure water gurgled up into the bright air, underneath a rich canopy of ferns and wild-flowers.
William was much surprised to find that this house, which everybody knew as "Mother Podger's house," should now really belong to Captain Hardy; and he said so.
"You'd hardly know it, would you, since I've fixed it up, and made it ship-shape like?" said the Captain. "I've done it nearly all myself too. And now what do you think I've called it?"
The children said they could never guess,--to save their lives, they never could.
"I call it 'Mariner's Rest,'" said the Captain.
"O, how beautiful! and so appropriate!" exclaimed William; and Fred and Alice chimed in and said the same.
"And now," went on the Captain, "You must steer your course for the 'Mariner's Rest' again,--right soon, too, and the old man will be glad to see you."
"Thank you, Captain Hardy," answered William, with a bow. "If we get our parents' leave, we'll come to-morrow, if that will not too much trouble you."
"It will not trouble me at all," replied the Captain. "Let it be four o'clock, then,--come at four o'clock. That will suit me perfectly; and it may be that I'll have," continued he, "a bit of a story or two to tell you. Besides, I think I promised something of the kind before to William, when I came home this time twelvemonth ago. Do you remember it, my lad?"