Henry?"

Henry Burns nodded. "Let's see 'em start off in her," he said.

They waited about, and presently there appeared on the landing the
present claimant of the _Flyaway_. He was a big, bluff, hearty man,
florid face, loud of voice, a free and easy manner, and he was dressed
for the occasion in yachting clothes of unmistakable newness. He eyed
the _Flyaway_ with an assumption of nautical wisdom and experience.

"That's a good-looking boat, Captain Coombs," he said, in tones that
could be heard far away. "She's all right; just what I want. I like a
boat with plenty of room for the ladies to be comfortable."

"Well, I reckon she's the best boat on Whitecap pond," responded the
man, while his small eyes twinkled shrewdly. "Just humour her a bit, and
I reckon she'll go where anything of her size will. She's seen some
rough times on this pond."

The appearance of the _Flyaway_ seemed to bear out this statement.

"Sure you can handle her all right, are you, Mr. Bangs?" added Captain
Coombs, eying his customer with a quick, sidelong glance.

"Well, I reckon," was the bluff reply.

Captain Coombs, possibly not all assured, gave an inquiring look toward
a man who was busy cleaning a rowboat close by, and who seemed to be an
interested party of some sort, probably a partner. The man drew his
right eye down in an unmistakable wink, and glanced up at the sky. Then
he nodded, shrugging his shoulders at the same time, as though he might
have said, "There's no wind; we'll take a chance."

There was, indeed, scarcely a breath of wind blowing, and there was no
present prospect of any.

Mr. Bangs's party began now to arrive: a somewhat fleshy, and withal
nervous and agitated lady, who proved to be Mrs. Bangs; two young girls,
an angular lady carrying a fat pug dog in her arms, and a small boy.

"Aha, we're all here," cried Mr. Bangs, joyfully. "Let's get aboard and
be off. Splendid day for a sail, eh, Captain Coombs?"

"Couldn't be better," replied Coombs, dryly. "Are those oars in her,
Dan?"

"Why, you don't suppose I'm going to row her, do you?" laughed Mr.
Bangs.

"We sometimes has to, when we doesn't want to," said Coombs
laconically. "No fun staying out all night if the wind dies out."

"Oh, yes, of course," responded Mr. Bangs. "Get aboard, ladies."

"I don't believe you know how to sail a boat, Augustus," said Mrs.
Bangs, eying her husband doubtfully. "Are you sure you do?"

"Nonsense!" snorted Mr. Bangs. "