When Phonny and Madeline found themselves riding quietly along in the wagon in Beechnut's company, the first thought which occurred to them, after the interest and excitement awakened by the setting out had passed in some measure away, was that they would ask him to tell them a story. This was a request which they almost always made in similar circumstances. In all their rides and rambles Beechnut's stories were an unfailing resource, furnishing them with an inexhaustible fund of amusement sometimes, and sometimes of instruction. "Well," said Beechnut, in answer to their request, "I will tell you now about my voyage across the Atlantic Ocean." "Yes," exclaimed Madeline, "I should like to hear about that very much indeed." "Shall I tell the story to you just as it was," asked Beechnut, "as a sober matter of fact, or shall I embellish it a little?" "I don't know what you mean by embellishing it," said Madeline. "Why, not telling exactly what is true," said Beechnut, "but inventing something to add to it, to make it interesting." "I want to have it true," said Madeline, "and interesting, too."

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