katy, meanwhile, had been looking after clothing and provisions. on tuesday evening, when tug came in after tea, she was ready to read to him a full list, as follows:
boat outfit.—sailing and rowing gear complete; one piece of spare canvas three yards square; one oil lantern and a gallon of oil; one compass; a locker under the stroke-thwart, containing calking-iron, oakum, putty, copper nails, gimlet, screw-driver, screws, sail needle, thread, wax, etc.
camp outfit.—tent (made out of the sails), pegs, poles, etc.; one axe; one hatchet; one small handsaw; one shovel; one clothes-line; one mess chest, containing the fewest possible dishes, tin cups, knives, forks, etc., also a skillet, a coffee-pot, etc.; one iron kettle; one covered copper pail.
personal baggage.—one trunk for aleck's and jim's clothing; one trunk for katy's clothing; tug's box (clothing, and what he says are "contraptions"); small valise for katy's toilet necessaries and other small articles.
bedding (tied up in close rolls).—for aleck, three blankets and a thick quilt.
for jim, the same.
for tug, three blankets and a piece of old sail-cloth.
for katy, a buffalo-robe trimmed square, two flannel sheets, three blankets, and a heavy shawl.
thick woollen nightcaps or hoods for all.
food (enough to last two weeks, it is supposed, and consisting chiefly of the first seven articles named).—corn-meal, coffee, sugar, crackers, dried beef, bacon, and ham; also small quantities of potatoes, beans, dried corn, tea, chocolate, maple sugar, buckwheat flour, and condiments. (katy did not count the luxuries of the first day's evening meal.)
all these supplies, as far as possible, were put into bags made of strong cloth or of heavy paper, or into wooden boxes, and then were stowed under the forward deck. to carry them and the rest of the luggage down to the wharf, a box was fastened upon jim's hand-sled, and several trips were made.
at last wednesday afternoon came, and the preparations for the adventurous journey were complete. all the morning had been spent by tug and jim in packing away goods in the boat, while aleck and kate finished the home-leaving, bringing down a final sled-load with them about two o'clock. besides this, katy's arms were full of "suspicious-looking" bundles, as tug noticed, the contents of which she refused to let any one know before night.
the boat lay hidden underneath the warehouse wharf, and of the few who knew of their intentions nobody seemed to have let out the secret; moreover, the day was unusually cold and somewhat windy, so that few skaters were out, at least, so far down the river. thus they were not annoyed by inquisitive visitors. ten minutes after aleck and kate arrived the final package had been stowed, the mantle of canvas spread over, the oars and rolled-up tent laid on top, and tug announced everything ready.
"then let's be off," said aleck, as he buckled the last strap of his left skate, and stood up.
"not till you give the word of command, captain."
"captain!" echoed jim, standing very straight.
"captain!" kate caught up the word, and made a funny girlish imitation of an officer's salute. "not till you give the order, sir!"
"oho!" laughed aleck. "that's election by acclamation, i should say! all right; only, if i'm to be captain, remember you must do as i say at once, and save any arguing about it until afterwards. when you get tired you can vote me out as you voted me in. will you agree?"
"yes—agreed!" cried all three.
"then my first order is 'forward!'" and so saying he seized a drag-rope and sent the sledge-boat spinning out upon the smooth ice far from under the shadow of the wharf, showing how easily it could be run in spite of its weight, which was not less than five hundred pounds.
a moment later they were off on the first strokes of a trip that proved far more eventful than any of them anticipated—aleck with the drag-rope, tug by his side, jim pulling his sled, rex leaping and barking, and kate bringing up the rear with her hands on the stern-rail of the boat. two or three boys and men called after them, and one followed a little way, but he was sent back with short answers, and in a few moments the church spires, the big, bell-crowned cupola of the high school, and the lofty spans of the railway bridge had been left far behind. not much was said, for even heedless jim felt that this was a serious undertaking, and the pleasant scenes they had known so long might never be revisited.
