elf by that time. And if he
isn't, the agent is there all right, all right. So if your pirate
settles with me with a shot-gun, I'll settle with that agent, same
way."

As soon as the meat was cured, the boys started for the coast in
their canoe. On the way they stopped at the nursery and found Baby
almost glad to see them, and when Ned put half a banana in his
mouth, the little manatee seemed really grateful. Ned even thought
that when he pressed the baby's flipper good-bye, the pressure was
returned, at least that is what he told Dick. The canoeists had
trouble in avoiding the grass and moss of the big bay, but two hours
of paddling carried them to the coast, where a strong on-shore wind
was sending long rollers up on the beach. Dick knew where they
were, and said that they had come down Broad River, and that the
fisherman's ranch was only six or seven miles up the coast.

"We can walk up the beach to it and save time. The water is too
rough for the canoe," said Ned.

"I don't know about that. I've lived on the water some and I've seen
curious things done with canoes. Let's try it."

"Better try the waves with an empty canoe first. Then I'll be with
you."

The canoe was unloaded on a quiet bit of the beach which lay behind
a shoal and the boys by turns got into the canoe and paddled out
among the breakers. Then they went out together and through it all
the canoe rose to the waves like a duck. Then they reloaded their
canoe and started up the beach. At times the wind was stronger and
the waves bigger, but always the canoe rode them with a gait like a
rocking-chair. They paddled easily, "taking the waves on the bias,"
as Dick observed, heading a little off-shore to balance the push of
the wind and the waves.

The fisherman was at home, and Ned soon closed a contract with him
to carry Baby Manatee to Myers at Ned's cost and risk, payment to be
made in Myers by Mr. Barstow or his agent. The man had just got in
some lumber to build a skiff. This would serve to build the box, and
the charge for it would be five dollars. The fisherman said he would
need the help of his son; that the charge for the two would be four
dollars a day, and he "reckoned" it would take eight days, so the
contract was closed for thirty-seven dollars. He was ready to start
right off and catch the evening tide up Broad River.

"Don't you want to make the box first?" said Ned.

"Reckon not. 'Druther see the manatee 'fore I spile good lumber.