The Adventure Club Afloat

d Han had naturally rebelled at being left without office or title and the omission had been laughingly remedied to their entire satisfaction. In fact, Han was quite stuck up o

ng cap at the first port of call and having the

approvingly, Phil, boat-hook in hand, was on the forward deck, Perry hovered around Steve, begging to be allowed to blow the whistle, Ossie and Neil watched from opposite sides of the bridge deck and Han, in the role of crew

to learn navigation so that he might ultimately be entrusted with the wheel, and to that end he stood at Steve's elbow until, when they gained the Main Channel, Ossie's dulcet voice was heard proclaiming, "Grub, fellows!" from below. Steve was rather too preoccupied to be very informative, but Perry did manage to imbibe some information. For instance, he learned that a sailing craft had the right of way over a power craft, some

ggars," he

r way on the starboard tack had the right of way over anything afloat-with the possible exception of a torpedo!-and that other craft had to turn to port in passing them. Joe had wrested that bit of knowledge from a volume entitled, "Motor Boats and Boating," which he

to the hands of the efficient second mate. When Joe became insufferably informative Perry blandly asked him questions about the engine, such as, "What's the difference, Joe, between a two-cycle a

water without a falter. More than once Joe might have been observed gazing down at the six cylinder-heads surmounted by their maze of

The others descended to the main cabin and squeezed themselves about the table, which, adorned with a cloth of wonderful sheen and whiteness that bore the cruiser's former name and flag woven in the centre, held a plentiful supply of canned beans, fried bacon, potato chips, bread and butter

t. I never tried to do anything on an alcohol stove before. It takes longer, seems to me. I couldn'

," said Neil. "How do you open t

ything's bully, and I'm as hungry as a bear. Pass t

ool and stepping into the galley. "Hand over the bread plate, someone, and I

go broke that way than some other

oesn't it

Phil. I generally drink orange pekoe, though. You

"and then again I might not. And the probabilities are not. If you

ts. In fact, so loth were they to miss anything that might be happening that they finished dinner in record time, consuming dessert, which consisted of bananas and pear

wait until the novelty wears off. Then we'll hear some

at," said Steve. "If we don't he's likely t

the crowded beach and the colourful maze of buildings. "It looks

nt over there. We've got a good ways to go yet before we reach Fire Island." St

k in there," said Neil, vaguely indicat

d rather stay outside here and slip in through Fire Island Inlet. After I get used to running thi

cing resort and following his finger as he pointed out the features he recognised. "There's the coaster where I bounced up and came down on a nail," he chu

s," murmured Perry dreamil

had not been informed that they were passing Coney. "I think some of you

" laughed Han. "Tha

e," growled Ossie. "It's just a smear of

at's Jamaica Bay in there. Say, t

t Steve's direction the windows were closed, Han performing the task with many "Ay, ay, sirs!" Joe looked anxious and presently sought the forward cabin, reappearing a minute later to ask all and sundry if they knew where he had put his supply of "anti-seasick stuff." No one could tell him and he again took himself off, and before he could locate the medicine the Adventurer had passed th

they stayed with the Adventurer for quite ten minutes. One placed himself directly in front of the boat and the others took up positions about six feet apart on the starboard bow, and for two miles or more they maintained their stations, their dusky, gleaming backs arching from the water with the regularity of clock-work. Most of the boys had never seen the fish before and were much interested. Joe called them "puffing pigs" and Perry insisted that they w

and controls, and each of the pupils took his turn at guiding the cruiser along the sandy coast. Fire Island Inlet was reached shortly before three and Steve took the wheel again and ran the Adventurer past Jack's Island, around the curve of Short Beach and into the waters of the Great South Bay. There was still a six-mile

, ahoy!" h

s the ribald reply.

ing craft. Then they reappeared, their small boat so deep that the water almost spilled over the sides, W

r, Han," instructed Steve, "an

looking, upstanding lot, already well sunburned by a week afloat. Wink Wheeler was the oldest of the six, for he was eighteen. Harry Corwin, Bert Alley and Caspar Temple were seventeen and Georg

alace," said Harry Corwin. "Why, there isn't anythi

Me may not be as nifty as this, but she's one fine little boat, ju

ould have done it in three hours easily if we'd tried to. Th

up gas like the dickens when she does any more. Yesterday we went to Freeport in fifty-sev

ey were to take things easy, stopping at such points as promised interest and putting into harbour at night. As it was already after four o'clock, they finally concluded to stay where they were until morning, although the Follow Me crowd were eager to be away. "Our first harbour w

station every five miles or so all down the shore it was a shame not to take a chan

asked Neil. "I'd love to see you in a breeche

nk Wheeler. "They have dandy feeds there, and maybe we

over now. I'm ready for hotel grub if the rest of you are. Can we all g

id Phil gravely. "We'll brin

-sandwich,"

d, it wasn't likely anyone would want to swing a cat there. The cabin was surprisingly roomy and held four berths, while a fifth bunk was placed forward of the tiny galley. The latter was intended for the crew but at present it was the quarters of "Brownie." The sixth member of the ship's company occupied at night a mattress placed on the floor and philosophically explained that sleeping there had the advantage of security; there was no chance to roll out of bed in rough weather. The engine compartment lay between cabin and cockpit and held a six-cylinder engine. Steering was done from the cockpit, under shelter of an awning, but the engine control was b

urer, where, since the evening was decidedly chilly, they thronged the after cabin and flowed out into the cockpit. Perry started up his talking machine and played his dozen records over a number of times, and everyone talked at once-except some who sang-and, in the words of the country newspapers, "a pleasant time was had by all." And at ten the Follow Me's crew got back into their dingey and went off into