y.

"Will you tell us about them sometime?"

"I should be glad to," said the captain readily. "Not now, though, for,
as you can see, I am pretty busy," and the bluff sailor hurried away,
shouting orders to his men, who all seemed to like him and take delight
in carrying out his commands as quickly as possible.

"Captain Dodge isn't much like the sea captains we used to read about in
the old story books, is he?" remarked Grant Jones.

"Why not?" demanded Pop Sanders. "He certainly looks like a sailor."

"I know that," agreed Grant, "but I meant the kind of a man the crew all
hated and feared and who used to give them the rope's end every time
they did anything he didn't like."

"That day has passed, I guess," laughed John Clemens. "Perhaps it's
lucky for us, too, for we might get it ourselves."

"Any one would have to be a pretty good shot to hit you with anything,
String," said Pop Sanders teasingly.

"Huh," snorted John, but he made no other reply.

At this moment Captain Dodge approached.

"We've got to anchor, boys," he said. "The wind is dead ahead of us here
in the narrows and I think I'll wait till it shifts."

"We might all go to Coney Island then," exclaimed Fred Button eagerly.

"And the wind might change almost any minute and we'd sail off and leave
you behind," laughed Captain Dodge. "Coney Island is just around that
point, though, and you could row there in a little while."

"I guess we'll stay aboard if you're thinking of leaving us," said Fred.
"I'd rather go to Buenos Aires than Coney Island."

"That's what I say," exclaimed John Clemens.

"Can't we do something to help around here?" asked Grant. "We're only
amateur sailors, but we're anxious to do what we can."

"I know you are," said Captain Dodge. "I expect you to take your regular
turns on watch with the rest of the crew. Just now I want the sails
taken in, though. Do you suppose one of you could go up that foremast?"

"I could," cried Fred quickly. "Let me go."

"Think you can take in that topsail?"

"I can help."

"That's all I want, of course. There'll be a sailor up there with you to
tell you what to do and perhaps you can be of assistance to him."

"I'd like to try it, anyway," said Fred eagerly.

"All right," said the captain. "Mr. Johnson," he called to the first
mate, who was a big blonde-haired Swede, "this young man wants to go
aloft. Will you let him help your man take in that fore-topsail?"

"Yes, sir," came the