g pastures and sombre woodlands. The chauffeur flung a few
inarticulate words over his shoulder--readily interpreted as announcing
the nearness of their destination; and of a sudden the car swung from
the main highway into a narrow by-road that ran off to the right. A
little later they darted through a cut beneath railroad tracks, and a
village sprang out of the night and rattled past them, serenely
slumbrous. From this centre a thin trickle of dwellings straggled along
their way. Across fields to the left, Staff caught glimpses of a
spreading sheet of water, still and silvery-grey....

On a long slant, the road drew nearer and more near to the shores of
this arm of the Sound. Presently a group of small buildings near the
head of a long landing-stage swam into view. Before them the car drew up
with a sigh. The chauffeur jumped down and ran across the road to a
house in whose lower story a lighted window was visible. While he
hammered at the door, Staff and Iff alighted. A man in his shirt-sleeves
came to the door of the cottage and stood there, pipe in mouth, hands in
pockets, languidly interjecting dispassionate responses into the
chauffeur's animated exposition of their case. As Staff and Iff came up,
Spelvin turned to them, excitedly waving his gauntlets.

"He's got a boat, all right, and a good one he says, but he won't move a
foot for less 'n twenty dollars."

"Give you twenty-five if you get away from the dock within five
minutes," Iff told the boatbuilder directly.

The man started as if stung. "Jemima!" he breathed, incredulous. Then
caution prompted him to extend a calloused and work-warped hand. "Cross
my palm," he said.

"You give it to him, Staff," said Iff magnificently. "I'm short of
cash."

Obediently, Staff disbursed the required sum. The native thumbed it,
pocketed it, lifted his coat from a nail behind the door and started
across the road in a single movement.

"You come 'long, Spelvin," he said in passing, "'nd help with the boat.
If you gents'll get out on the dock I'll have her alongside in three
minutes, 'r my name ain't Bascom."

Pursued by the chauffeur, he disappeared into the huddle of boat-houses
and beached and careened boats. A moment later, Iff and Staff, picking
their way through the tangle, heard the scrape of a flat-bottomed boat
on the beach and, subsequently, splashing oars.

By the time they had reached the end of the dock, the boatbuilder and
his companion were scrambling