s a good one. From that point,
being well hid and unsuspected, we'll conduct operations by land as we
think best. How about it?"

It was the most sensible thing I could see, and said so. The others
quite enthusiastically agreed, and in a few minutes the two yachts were
sailing prettily westward. Lower and lower sank the Ten Thousand
Islands, and sometime after we finished luncheon a sailor aloft reported
them gone. Then with a will we changed our course and began the big
circle back.

Gates had been making observations. His chart showed a cove about ten
miles north of the island area, but too shallow for the _Whim_. Yet ten
miles farther north of that was another inlet with fairly good water.
Some thought this would be the logical place to anchor, while others
insisted it was too far from operations.

"We might establish an outpost in the little cove," I said, at last,
"making a camp there and keeping the launch with us, while the _Whim_
stays in the larger cove as a base to fall back on in case of
necessity."

"The launch won't do," Tommy corrected. "In a quiet place like that its
put-put could be heard for miles. Paddles, oars or sails for these still
waters, Jack!"

He was right. Moreover, one of our small boats did have a center-board,
thwart and portable mast, so that obstacle was easily crossed.

"Now," he continued, "I approve of Jack's plan, and suggest that tonight
we slip into Big Cove--hereinafter to be so called--and anchor the
_Orchid_. Then with a whole crew we'll sail down outside of Little Cove,
land provisions, ammunition, and stuff like that for the scouting party.
After this the _Whim_ goes back and waits alongside the _Orchid_. The
thing now is to decide on signals. Who knows the Morse?"

Gates answered promptly that he did; but I did not, so Tommy wrote the
alphabet on a card, saying:

"You've this afternoon to memorize it, and tonight I'll drill you. It'll
do between ourselves, Jack, if we get separated. But how shall we reach
you, Gates? Have you any black powder for smoke balls?"

"Lor' bless you, sir, we've only what's in a few shells belonging to
Miss Nancy. It would take a fair sized keg to signal that far, sir!"

I will not recount the hours I walked back and forth along the deck,
with a flag in one hand and Tommy's card in the other, making what to
the uninitiated would have seemed a perfectly ridiculous spectacle. But
I had got quite well along, and was standing near the foremas