The girls were spending the evening at Frank's. They were late in getting home. The night was hot and they hated to go to bed until it began to cool off. Dr. and Mrs. Morton were sitting on the front porch. "Go to bed, children. Father was just starting over to call you." Mrs. Morton kissed them each goodnight. Dr. and Mrs. Morton followed them in and had barely settled themselves for the night, when an unearthly shriek rent the air, followed by another and yet another. "What in thunder are those children up to now?" Dr. Morton spoke in the tone of one who considered that patience had ceased to be a virtue. "O Mother, come quick--there's snakes or frogs or something in our bed and we haven't any light!" Mrs. Morton hurriedly lit a lamp and went to the rescue, followed by the doctor armed with a stick. Holding the lamp aloft they went into the room, the three girls, who had retired in a panic to the head of the stairs, bringing up the rear. Katy had scrambled into bed and out again in haste, dragging the coverlet and sheet half off on the floor. The interior of the bed was fully exposed to view. It was already occupied--not by snakes, but by a handful of fat, squirming, little polliwogs. "Ugh, I thought it was a snake--they were so slimy and cold!" Katy shivered at the recollection. Dr. Morton grimly gathered up the polliwogs, then, leaving his wife to restore order, went into the boys' room and held a conversation behind closed doors. No report of what was said ever reached the girls, but the practical jokes ended then and there. CHAPTER X SUPPER AT THE CAPTAIN'S Their late unpleasantness had made the young people unusually polite to each other. Irritating subjects were carefully avoided the next day. When they set out for the Captain's, Sherm gallantly handed Katy in to the front seat to sit beside Ernest, while he sandwiched himself between Jane and Gertie. The boys had finally concluded that the real joke was on them and were trying to make up. The Captain received them at the gate. "I can't be grateful enough for that bread. I haven't had such bread since I was a boy at home. I believe I am indebted to both Chicken Little and Gertie for the treat. Wing Fan is consumed with envy and asked me to-day if I would ask the honorable miss to tell him how she make the so wonderful bread." "I'd be delighted to," replied Chicken Little, "only it took more than telling for Gertie and me. We tried ever so many times before we got it just right, but, of course, Wing understands more about cooking than we did." "Well, judging by the bread, you seem to know a good deal about cooking." Sherm could not resist. "Yes, and the girls are first rate at sewing, too!" This was too much for them all. They laughed until the Captain begged to be let in on the fun. Their host had an unexpected treat for them. "You are to help me christen my new row boat. It came four days ago, but I have been saving it until you could all go with me."