as lost his memory."

Ned tried to speak, but Molly had her arms around his neck, saying
nice things to him.

"See here, sis, doesn't part of this belong to Dick?" said Ned, and
got his ears boxed very promptly.

"Did not Dick tell you, Ned, that he came from New York to Key West
on the steamer with us, and that Molly and I got acquainted with
him, and that he then slipped away at Key West so that we could not
find him?" asked Mr. Barstow.

"Never told me a word. Dick, you gay deceiver, you pretended to
tell me everything, and you left out the most interesting part. You
probably thought I wasn't interested in Dad or Molly."

"But, Ned, I never knew they were your father and sister until just
now. I told you everything that seemed worth speaking of."

"Hear that, Molly? This young man says you didn't seem worth
speaking of. Can't you get even with him for that? Now, tell me how
you happen to be here, you and Dad. I told Dick that he wouldn't
move a finger for us till the time of my vacation was up."

"You were all right about that, Neddy. He wouldn't budge an inch,
for I tried to make him start out and hunt you up, and he refused
until--Well, one day the boat that carries the mail between Key West
and Chokoloskee picked up, out in the Gulf of Mexico, a broken canoe
that everybody seemed to know was the one you and Mr. Williams were
out in. Then Mr. Streeter made a night run to Myers, got Dad out of
bed, and things began to happen. Of course, I was coming, so I got
into a few clothes, skipped my breakfast and was aboard this boat
barely in time not to be left, for Dad was just plain crazy. But
before he came away he chartered everything in sight and told the
men not to leave an unexplored channel in the whole Ten Thousand
Islands."

Ned held out his hand to his father without speaking, but Dick
looked at the girl with more gratitude in his eyes than she could
possibly have deserved, although she seemed willing to accept a good
deal of it.

"Well, boys," said Mr. Barstow, "if you are ready we will go aboard.
I don't see much that you will care to take with you."

"Nothing but Tom," said Dick. "Can't he go? He'll be good."

"Of course he can. But who is Tom?"

"Oh, he's nothing but a savage old wildcat," replied Ned. "He'll
probably eat us all up but Dick. He has eaten some of him already."

"Oh, what a beauty!" cried Molly, when Tom, who had been sitting in
a tree over their heads, was pointed out to her.