ng."

"You were born a hundred years or so too late," said Joe, shaking his
head. "Toss me a cookie, Han. Thanks. If you saw a pirate, Perry,
you'd--um--you'd drop dead."

"If I saw a pirate," replied Perry indignantly, "I'd--um--live as long
as you would! Besides, I've got a perfect right to drop dead if I want
to."

"Go ahead," said Joe lightly. "Any time you like, old chap."

"The reason I spoke of Boston," reverted Phil, "was that I thought it
might be a good place to buy our supplies. There's no use paying any
more for them than we have to and going broke before the cruise is half
over."

"Yes, but don't forget that gasoline's pretty expensive stuff these
days, Phil," said Steve. "I guess we'd burn up enough gas getting to
Boston to make up for any saving on supplies, eh? I suppose there are
stores in Salem."

"Thought it burned up awhile ago," said Han.

"Part of it did, but I don't suppose it stayed burned up, you idiot.
What time is it? We'd better beat it for shore."

"Right-o," agreed Han. "I hope they have Charlie Chaplin, though."

By some strange inadvertency, however, Mr. Chaplin's eccentric person
was missing from the screen. In spite of that, though, Han managed to
enjoy the evening. Afterwards Perry suggested light refreshments and
they set out in search of a lunch counter. But anyone who knows Plymouth
will realise the hopelessness of their search. After roaming around the
quiet and deserted streets and at last being assured by a policeman that
their quest was worse than idle they went back to the tenders. "I
suppose," said Perry disgustedly, "they close all the stores early so
they can go to the movies. I wish now we'd had some soda at that drug
store where the man had insomnia."

"We've got food on board," said Ossie. "I'll fix up some sandwiches. I
wish you'd get enough to eat for once, though," he added as he took his
place in the dingey. "Don't they ever feed you at home, Perry?"

"Huh, I'll bet you're as hungry as I am! What are they yelping about
over there?"

The other tender had left the landing a moment before the _Adventurer's_
boat and now its occupants were heard shouting confusedly across the
moonlit water.

"Can you make out what they're saying?" asked Steve of the rest.

"Just nonsense, I guess," answered Phil, tugging at his oar.

"Stop rowing a minute and listen," Steve directed. "Now then!"

"Something about the boat," murmured Han. "I can't make it out, though."