threw in the clutch and felt the launch
slide away. The jingle came and I opened her up. 'Twas a powerful
machine and whin I felt the jerk and pull of her four cylinders I sint
me assistant to find the gasoline tank and see whether we had oil
enough. Thinks I, if this machine eats up fuel like this we must e'en
have enough and aplenty. The bhoy came back with smut on his nose and
sthated that the tank was full.

"'How do ye know?' I demanded.

"'I've helped the owner fill her up several times,' says the brat. 'The
leader insists that we know the insides of every boat on the bay. 'Tis
part of our practice, and whin we get to be scouts we will all run
gasoline engines.'

"So we went along and the engines war-rmed up; and I trimmed the lantern
and sat me down comfortable as a cat on a pan of dough. Thin there was a
horrible rumpus on deck and some watther splashed down the back of me
neck. ''Tis the bar,' says me proud engine-room crew, balancin' himsilf
on the plates.

"'They are shovin' dhrinks across it too fast for me,' I retorts, as
more watther simmers down.

"'Oh, the leader knows all the soft places,' he returns proudly, this
bould sprig. And with a whoop we drove through a big felly that almost
swamped us. Thin, as far as I cud judge, the worst was over.

"Prisintly we got into the trough of the sea and rowled along for an
hour more. Then the jingle tinkled and I slowed down. Me bould Tad stuck
his head in at the little door. 'The _Gladys_ is right inshore from us,'
he remarks, careless-like. 'We will signal her to up anchor and come
with us.' He took me lantern and vanished.

"Whin I waited long enough for all the oil to have burned out of three
lanterns I turned the engines over to me crew and stepped out on deck.
It was a weepin' fog, with more rowlin' in all the time, and the feel
on me cheek was like that of a stor-rm. I saw me bould Tad on the
little for'a'd deck, swingin' his little lamp.

"'What's the matther with that scut of a skipper?' I inquires.

"The boy was fair cryin' with rage and shame. 'He cannot undherstand the
signal,' says he; 'and 'tis dangerous to run closer to him in this sea.'

"'If he don't understand yer signal,' says I, ''tis useless to talk more
to him with yer ar-rms. Use yer tongue.'

"And at that he raised a squeal that cud be heard a hundred feet, the
voice of him bein' but a bhoy's, without noise and power. 'Let be,' says
I. 'I've talked me mind across the deep watth