“Yes,” said Mr. Brewer, “she’s mine, but her mast’s unshipped, and her main-sail’s in the house to be mended.” “Can’t we ship the mast and mend the sail?” asked Adam. “Yes, you might do that,” answered Mr. Brewer. “Well, then,” cried Adam, “we’re all right! She doesn’t leak, does she? And you’ll hire her to us, won’t you?” “Her hull’s all right,” said Mr. John Brewer, “and I reckon I’d hire her to you.” “And why didn’t you tell us about her before?” exclaimed Adam. “You didn’t say anything about my hirin’ you a boat,” said the other. “If you’d ’a’ asked me, I’d ’a’ said you could have her.” Adam’s shouts soon brought the boys together, and a bargain was speedily concluded with Mr. Brewer, who agreed to hire his boat to our party for a dollar a day. “That is, till we reach Titusville,” said Adam; “but how are we goin’ to get her back?” “Well,” said Mr. Brewer, “my brother went up to Enterprise last week, and he’ll be comin’ back afore long, and it’ll suit him fust-rate if you’ll leave the boat at Titusville, and then he can come down in her and save payin’ his passage on the mail-boat.” “That’s a pretty good arrangement for you and your brother,” said Chap. “I wonder you didn’t think of it before!” “I didn’t want to bother anybody to take a boat up the river jist for my brother,” said Mr. Brewer. Everybody now went gayly to work, Adam mending the sail with true sailor-like skill, and the boys, under Mr. Brewer’s direction, and with some of his assistance, getting the mast properly shipped and the boat cleaned out and made ready for her voyage. She was a well-built little craft, about twenty feet long, and with a small cabin, which would comfortably accommodate four persons. She carried a main-sail and a jib, and was, altogether, very suitable for the purposes of our friends. By night the boat was ready for the trip, but it was decided to postpone starting until the next morning. All the provisions which Mr. Brewer could spare were purchased, and, although he could not let them have enough to last the three or four days which it would require to reach Titusville, there were places along the river where they could replenish their stores. Mr. Brewer knew Adam for a good sailor, and had no hesitancy in trusting the boat to his care. The boys were perfectly delighted at the prospect before them. To sail up the river in a boat which was entirely their own during the voyage was a piece of good fortune they had not dreamed of. “What is the name of your boat?” asked Chap of Mr. Brewer, as they all sat together after supper. “Just now she ain’t got no name. She used to be called the Jane P., after my first wife; but when she died I painted the name out, and this Mrs. Brewer don’t want the boat named after her, because she’s afraid she might die too; so, you see, she ain’t got no name.” “Well, then,” cried Chap, “we can name her ourselves--can’t we?”