They all ran down the long flight of steps to the sea, and Yanni the boatman was already settling the boat cushions. The big clock of the Naval School was just on the last stroke of eight and the boys had entreated Kyria Penelope to wait till the flag went up on the tower, as Iason wanted to run their boat flag up on its pole at the same moment. His hand was holding the rope loosely, and all eyes were fixed on the square tower of the Naval School, waiting for the signal. Bam! Boum! went the morning gun, and the lovely old blue and white flag rose majestically to the top of the flagstaff. At the same moment, with naval precision, Iason pulled the rope, and the little boat flag was waving at the top of its pole; and almost at the same moment, Splash! went Andromache into the sea, books and all. A shrill shriek followed, as Kyria Penelope went down on her knees on the landing stage, and flapped helpless arms over the water. But the boatman was there and the boys too, and the next moment a drenched, dripping, sea-weedy Andromache was standing in the midst of them, little pools of water rapidly forming all round her. Yanni was reaching out for two floating books, and a soaked copy-book was slowly sinking beyond recovery. "If I could possibly imagine," said the poor innocent governess, who had no small brothers and sisters at home, "that you would jump into the sea on purpose, I would keep all the others waiting, till you changed your wet clothes; but as such a thing is quite impossible, you may stay at home to-day and not delay us." And such a thing being quite impossible, naughty Andromache stayed comfortably at home, finished all the chocolates out of her box; successfully fished out a big bunch of grapes through a hole in the wire netting of the store room window, carefully enlarged by the boys; visited the kitchen and learned all about the cook's little nieces and nephews and what their names were and how old they were; stood outside the gate watching the "trata"[18] and did a whole host of other equally pleasant and forbidden things. That same afternoon they went to the Monastery with ten "lepta" each, with which to buy and light a taper in the Chapel. "Look at Kyria Penelope!" cried Chryseis. "She has stopped to tie her shoe lace again; it is always coming untied. Let us run on to the cave; we shall have time to get in before she reaches us!" The magic word "cave" sufficed, and they were all off racing down the hill and up again towards the second bridge.