Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/117

Rh “Yes, indeed,” replied Mr. Elston. “They scrub the paint and polish the brass, and do more than any five women—begging your pardon, ladies—ever could.”

“Well, all the same, I wonder what they use to get it so absolutely perfectly clean.”

“Elbow-grease, plenty of elbow-grease.” And Mr. Elston smiled at the look of amazement on the faces of the girls. “Surely you remember the lines from ‘Pinafore’:—

“You see, the sailors carry this principle into all their work. And all expect, some time, to rise like Sir Joseph Porter, K. C. B.”

Now, while the older people talked and laughed at one end of the boat, in the shade of the awning extending  from the cabin, Julia, Nora, and Brenda, in the bow,  amused themselves by commenting on the various yachts  in sight. There were not, to be sure, so very many to be seen, as the greater number of large craft had gone off  on cruises extending over the holiday. Those remaining inside were simply those that did not belong to the classes  entered for the races, or they were boats whose owners had  guests whom they did not care to take sailing until the  afternoon.