“Will we wear our sailor costumes all the while?” asked Betty, for the girls, as soon as the cruise in the _Gem_ had been decided on, had had suits made on the sailor pattern, with some distinctive changes according to their own ideas. Betty had been informally named “Captain,” a title with which she was already more or less familiar. “Well, of course we’ll wear our sailors—middy blouses and all—while we’re aboard—ahem!” exclaimed Betty, with exaggerated emphasis. “Notice my sea terms,” she directed. “Oh, you are getting to be a regular sailor,” said Mollie. “I’ve got a book home with a lot of sea words in. I’m going to learn them, and also how to tie sailor knots.” “Then maybe your shoe laces won’t come undone so easily,” challenged Grace, and she thrust out her own dainty shoe, and tapped the patent leather tip of Mollie’s tie. “It is not!” came indignantly from Billy. “It is loose, and it may trip you,” advised Amy, and Mollie, relinquishing a candy she had selected with care, bent over. The moment she did so Grace appropriated the Sweetmeat. “As I said,” went on Betty, “we can wear our sailor suits when aboard. When we go ashore we can wear our other dresses.” “I’m not going to take a lot of clothes,” declared Grace, getting ready to defend herself against Mollie when the latter should have discovered the loss of the tidbit. “One reason we had such a good time on our ‘hike,’ was that we didn’t have to bother with a lot of clothes. We shall enjoy ourselves much more, I think.” “And I agree with you, my dear,” said Betty. “Besides, we haven’t room for many things on the _Gem_. Not that I want to deprive you of anything,” she added, quickly, for she realized her position as hostess. “But really, to be comfortable, we don’t want to be crowded, and if we each take our smallest steamer trunk I think that will hold everything, and then we’ll have so much more room. The trunks will go under the bunks very nicely.” “Then we’ll agree to that,” said Mollie. “Two sailor suits, so we can change; one nice shore dress, if we are asked anywhere, and one rough-and-ready suit for work—or play.” “Good!” cried Amy. “As for shoes——” “Who took my candy?” cried Mollie, discovering the loss of the one she had put down to tie her lace. “It was the only one in the box and——” Grace laughed, and thus acknowledged her guilt. “I’ve got another box up stairs,” she said. “I’ll get it,” which she proceeded to do. “Grace, you’ll ruin your digestion with so much sweet stuff,” declared Betty, seriously. “Really you will.” “I suppose so, my dear; but really I can’t seem to help it.” “As captain of the _Gem_ I’m going to put you on short rations, as soon as our cruise begins,” said Betty. “It will do you good.” “Perhaps it will,” Grace admitted, with a sigh. “I’ll be glad to have you do it. Now, is everything arranged for?”