HOME AT THE HAVEN.

the baskets of fruit. Edward had often asked his
uncle why he did not build a bridge over the narrow
end of the pond, but this was never thought of seri-
ously. One day, however, when Edward was at home,
on one of his half-holidays, it was raining so heavily,
that there was nothing to be done but to get up in the
workshop and do some carpentering, and then it was
that the making of a boat was first planned. When
they came in to tea that evening, Edward was full of
delight and full of talk about the real proper-shaped
and proper-sized boat they were going to build for the
pond. It was to be large enough to hold three persons,
and Uncle Osborne thought that they might get it
finished in time for gathering of the late apples and
winter pears, so that it would be really useful to bring
the baskets over from the other side, and land them
where they would be carried up to the apple-room in
no time.
 Lucy liked the idea of the boat very much, and had
no fears about its capsizing, as her uncle called it,
because the bottom of the pond could be seen so
plainly, that she was sure no one could ever be drowned
in it. She listened quite patiently to the description
of how it was all to be managed-how the frame of the
boat was to be made of five long pieces of deal, and
how the ribs were to be of flexible ash-wood; how a
piece of zinc was to be fastened along the keel; and
lastly, how canvas was to be stretched over the out.
side, because it would be impossible for them, as
Captain Osborne said, to get planks warped into the
right curve for nailing outside, in the manner of boats
in general, and the canvas would make it light and
easy to carry. There was nothing talked of but the
boat all that evening, and when the tea-things were
removed, pen and ink and paper were brought out to