"Beam enough for a battleship," grumbles Rupert.
"I do hope," goes on Auntie, "that the staterooms are something more
than cubbyholes."
"Let's take a look," says I, producin' the keys.
Ollie had mentioned specially the main saloon, but I wasn't lookin' for
anything half so grand. Why, you could almost give a ball in it. Had
a square piano and a fireplace, too.
"Huh!" says Old Hickory. "Quite a craft."
It was when we got to the two suites, one on each side of the
companionway 'midships, that Auntie got real enthusiastic; for, besides
the brass beds and full-sized bathtubs, they had clothes closets, easy
chairs, and writin' desks.
"Excellent!" says she. "But what are those queer overhead pipes for, I
wonder?"
"Must be for the cold-air system Mr. Wade was tellin' me about," says I.
"Oh, yes," adds Old Hickory. "I remember now. This is the boat
Commodore Wade went up the Orinoco in, and he had her fitted for
tropical cruising. How many staterooms in all, did you say, son?"
"Twelve, outside of the crew's quarters," says I.
"Regular floating hotel," says Old Hickory. "We shall not be crowded
for room, Mrs. Hemmingway."
"Then why not ask some of our friends to go with us?" suggests Auntie.
"There are one or two I should like to take along for companionship.
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