“That’s better,” she said, getting comfortable, and finding it a nice broad beast as she had hoped. So Mr. Withersq and the man disapeared, leaving Selia bravely seated on the steed, which champed its bit somewhat, but every time it moved she cried “Whoo!” and it obeyed her, to the surprise of some yokels who peeked forth from the pub. Before long Mr. Withersq and the man came back, the latter bearing some paper bags. “Hurrah, I have food!” cried Harold, “and I am feeling most poetical. This good man will give you a lift on this horse to the Countess’s boat, so off we go.” At this the little procession set off, but first Selia cried “Oh pray give me a bite for I am perishing.” At this Mr. Withersq rustled in a bag and drew forth a sandwich and passed it up to her. So off they went in the darkness of the night, Selia on the horse, and Mr. Withersq holding one of her feet to steady her, while she chewed a rather mysterious sandwich, not being able to see what it was, and bumping a good bit on the heaving animal. The horse’s man led the way down another lane, followed by some rude cheers from the pub. Before long they saw water, and in a few moments drew a halt. “Coo-ee!” howled the man. From out a large, white place looming with myriad twinkling lights an answering voice cried “Coo-ee!” “Is it another house?” said Selia. “I dont see no boat.” “It is the boat,” cried the horse’s man. Lo! on the river’s edge was a great boat like a steamer, bedecked with fairy lamps, and at the sound of our hero’s arrival many voices noised out and forms were seen on the deck. Never had Selia beheld such a vision as this grand boat. “Well, it is just like a house,” cried she. “It is a houseboat,” said Harold, “for I read it up in an etiquette book.” Oh how Selia laughed to hear this! “So that is where all your stiff new ways come from, is it!” jested she, though not so coyly as she would, as her horse was sipping a little of the river, and it was hard to sit on it so sloping. “Ha, welcome!” the voice of the Countess was then heard. “Come aboard, pray! We were expecting you to supper, but still, better late than never.” So Selia dropped from the horse, jolting herself a good bit, and together with Mr. Withersq mounted a small ladder from the river’s edge up the side of this magnificent boat, and so arrived safe on the deck, at which a throng, bobbing up from all directions, seized on them with merry hand shakings, and cooings of delight, for they had been given up, and their arrival proved a welcome diversion, and Lipstick barked madly his eyes more polished than ever. The Countess who was in a tight dress of black beads sewn on stuff like a serpent grasped warmly their hands and seemed more glad than before for no doubt their fame had spread more and so she thought them worth her while. “Let me introduce you to the folk” she said kindly, motioning to the group of about six behind her.