"
"Pooh! He'll never know," suggested Danny Rugg, a boy with whom Bert
had had more or less trouble. "You needn't tell your father you went
to the boat. Come on, take us down and let's see it."
"No," said Bert, quietly but firmly. "Maybe my father wouldn't know I
had been on board, but I'd know it."
"Aw, you're a fraid-cat!" sneered Danny. "Come on, take us down, and
we'll have some fun."
"No," said Bert with a shake of his head. "I'm sorry. Some other time,
after I've asked my father if I may, I'll show you all over the
Bluebird."
"I want to go now," Danny said.
"Oh, there's plenty of time," spoke John, pleasantly. "I wouldn't want
Bert to do what his father told him not to, just to oblige me. I'll
see the boat some other time, Bert; that will do just as well."
"Huh! He's a fraid-cat!" muttered Danny again, as he shuffled off,
muttering to himself. Several times he had made trouble for the
Bobbsey twins, and Bert was not any too friendly with him. Danny was a
bully in the school.
Bert wished, very much indeed, that he could have taken some of his
boy friends down to the houseboat, but his father had a good reason
for not wanting any boys aboard, unless he could be with them. Workmen
were making certain changes in the craft, and doing some painting
inside and outside.
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