The Adventure Club Afloat

g the cost of the expedition, planning the cruise, even listing supplies. The more they talked about it the more their enthusiasm grew. Perry was for having Stev

ust all telegraph me the first thing. Don't wait to write, because I must know as soon as possible. I dare say there's work to be done on the Cockatoo before she's ready for the water, and we don't want to have to wait around until the

longed for. And when he did at length fall asleep it was to have the most outlandish dreams, visions in which he endured shipwreck, fought pirates and was all but eaten by cannibals. The most incongruous phase

club. Besides the originators there were present Messrs. Fairleigh, Hanford and Brazier. After Steve had locked the door to prevent interruption, he presented to the newcomers a summary of the scheme. It was received with enthusiasm and unanimous approval, but Neil Fairleigh and Oscar Brazier sadly admitted that in their cases parental permission was extremely doubtful. Geo

ing to coo

maybe," answered Joe. "

t Steve. Oscar onl

a fashion, I dare say, but you get frightfully hungry on

f us would make an awful me

e to pay a lot for a cook," he said. "It isn't h

st seemed unflatteringly doubtful. The silence wa

if you can't come with us-um-" His voice trailed o

, if I did go I'd be willing to do the cooking, and I'll bet I c

ok, Ossie. I've eaten your biscuit

ooking. Of course, I don't say Ossie couldn't do it, mind you, but-we wouldn't wa

e try it," suggest

aimed Oscar, piqued. "If you prefer

e whole thing as cheaply as we can. I see no harm in leaving

clared Oscar resolutely. "If my folks wo

, too, could manage it some way. "I dare say that if I tell my dad that all you chaps a

xtend it if we cared to. I suppose any of us that got tired could quit after

ting officers? Oughtn't we to do that? Some

"We'll ballot. Throw th

the berths in the owner's cabin are extension, and if they are we could bunk three fellows in there, or even four at a pinch. That would give us room for seven or eight in all. Eight migh

," agreed Joe. "Who h

one, but I guess we can th

d, who was nearest, had, at a nod from Steve, unlocked the po

come back later, Joe." Philip Street smiled apologetic

re. You're the very fellow we want. Cl

ecognised the fact that he was the ideal fellow to complete the membership. Steve, Joe aiding and the others attempting to, outlined the plan. If they had expect

u planning t

of the month as we

"I'm a delegate to the C.B. Convention, you

that," said Joe

tand for?" inq

lied Steve. "Look here, Phil,

love to,

way before that we'll pick you up somewhere. I

factory," an

your folks will le

nd my Summers a

Perry. "Gee, I wish my

Perry, while yours are pretty certain that you will. It makes a difference

eclared Joe. "What o

is the name we've chosen-and so I suppose we oug

ding. Let's elect a captain and a

ub having a captain,"

r Two and a Number Three. Number One can be the boss, a sort of president, you know, Number Two

erry. We'll each vote for the three officers, writing th

d Neil Fairleigh, "because I'm not sur

oin the club, anyway, and be a sort of non-resident memb

and while the seven occupants of the room busy themselves with pens or pencils let u

ck, determined manner and an incisive speech. Steve was Football Captain last Fall. Next him sits George Hanford. Han, as the boys call him,

st baseman on the Nine, and a remarkably competent one. He is slow of speech and possesses a dry humour that on occasion can be uncomfortably ironical. Beside him, Perry Bush is a complete contrast, for

ioned, a nice-looking, somewhat serious youth whose infrequent smile is worth waiting for. He is an Honor Man, a distinction attained by no other member of our party save Steve. The last of the seven is Oscar Brazier, and Ossie, as the boys call him, is sixteen years old, short and square, strongly-made and conspicuous for neither beauty

ut a dissenting vote, that he himself had been made Number Two and that Phil was Number Three. If Perry felt disappointment he hid it, and when Phil declared th

keep the accounts and all that sort of thing, and I'm n

applications for membership in the Adventure Club to have, in Joe's words, filled an ocean liner. It is probable that a large proportion of the applicants could not have obtained permission to join the expedition, but they were each and all terribly enthusiastic and eager to join, and it required all of Steve's and Joe's dipl

ifornia this Summer and I don't want to go, and they'll let me do anything I like. Tell you what, Steve. If you'll ta

d, one who would be a desirable companion on such an adventure as had been planned. Steve at last told Wink that he would speak to the others about him that evening, but that Wink was not to get his hopes up, and Wink took himself off whi

d I finally told him I'd ask you fellows. But I suppose we ca

up for the privilege of joining the club. "After all," he added, "we aren't all of us cer

enlarge the membership to, say, twelve, and let the new mem

f a motor-boat. He told me so today. That's a bully idea, Phil

Corwin's boat h

to hold four, anyway. There are seven of us now, and Wink and Harry an

membership thirt

oed Han. "Gee,

rry counted on his fingers. "This is the Adventure Club, isn't it? Well,

ake a chance. It's only a sill

I'm agreeable. Who else do we want? Bert All

e all good fellows. But I want it distinctl

l of us fellows must go on the

n's boat won't hol

" said Steve. "Joe, you cut along and find Corwin and b

e cruise while I'm gone," answered Jo

-cruiser, Follow Me. It was just half-past ten when Joe and Steve produced the last of their supply of ginger-ale from under t