re stuff," says I.

And say, if they'd been coached by a stage manager they couldn't have
done better. Course, I did catch 'em passin' the wink to each other as
two of 'em marches across the deck holdin' a sack tender between 'em;
but that was when they knew nobody but me could see. While they was
down where Old Hickory had his eye on 'em, they was as solemn as
pallbearers. But I'll bet it wasn't many minutes after they got to
their own quarters before the hearty haw-haws was turned loose in four
different languages.

Meanwhile Auntie and Mr. Ellins has been lookin' on without gettin' the
plot of the piece.

"I must say," Auntie comes out with, "that I see no very subtle
strategy about that performance. Those men must have suspected. What
did they think they were carrying on board so carefully?"

"Sand," says I.

"Huh!" grunts Old Hickory.

"You said you'd stand for it," says I. "And all you owe 'em is about
two apiece for helpin' you save your face."

"My face, eh?" says Old Hickory.

"Someone had to be the goat," says I.

"Why, to be sure," cuts in Auntie, beamin' good-natured again. "And I
think Torchy managed it very cleverly."

"Thanks, Mrs. Hemmingway," says I. "Maybe you'll do as much for me
some time, eh?"

"Why--er--certainly I will," says Auntie, catchin' her breath a little.

I had just sense enough to let it ride at that, for you can't push a
thing too far before breakfast. But I didn't mean to let this grand
little idea of mine grow cold. It struck me that, if ever I was goin'
to call for a show-down from Auntie, this was the day.

So, when I finally turned in for a forenoon nap, I was busier plottin'
out just how it ought to be done than I was at makin' up lost sleep. I
ain't one of them that can romp around all night, though, and then do
the fretful toss on the hay for very long after I've hit the pillow.
First thing I knew, I was pryin' my eyes open to find that it's almost
1:30 P.M., and with the sun beatin' straight down on the deck overhead
I don't need to turn on any steam heat in the stateroom.

A good souse in a tubful of salty Gulf water wakes me up all over, and
when I've dolled myself in a fresh Palm Beach suit and a soft collared
shirt I'm feelin' like Winnin' Willie.

As it happens, Vee and I has the luncheon table to ourselves that day,
neither Auntie nor Mr. Ellins havin' shown up, and the others bein' all
through. And somehow Vee always does have that look of-