they're
both good fellows. That would make five of us, and five isn't too many.
We can't afford to hire a cook, you know; at least, I can't; and someone
will have to look after that end of it. Who can cook?"

"I can't!" Perry made the disclaimer with great satisfaction.

"No more can I," said Joe cheerfully. "Let Neil be cook."

"I guess we'll all have to take a try at it. I dare say any of us can
fry an egg and make coffee; and you can buy almost everything ready to
eat nowadays."

"Tell you who's a whale of a cook," said Perry eagerly. "That's Ossie
Brazier. Remember the time we camped at Mirror Lake last Spring?
Remember the flapjacks he made? M-mm!"

"I didn't go," said Steve. "What sort of a chap is Brazier? I don't know
him very well."

"Well, Oscar's one of the sort who will do anything just as long as he
thinks he doesn't have to," replied Joe. "If we could get him to come
along and tell him that he--um--simply must _not_ ask to do the cooking,
why--there you are!"

"Merely a matter of diplomacy," laughed Steve. "Well, we might have
Brazier instead of Hanford--or Neil."

"Why not have them all if the boat will hold six?" asked Joe. "Seems to
me the more we have the less each of us will have to do. I mean," he
continued above the laughter, "that--um--a division of labour--"

"We get you," said Perry. "But, say, I wish you'd stop talking about it,
fellows. I'm going to be disappointed when I wake up and find it's only
a bright and gaudy dream."

"It isn't a dream," answered Steve, "unless you say so. I'll go, and
I'll guarantee to get the _Cockatoo_ without expense other than the cost
of running her. If you and Joe can get your folks to let you come, and
we can get hold of, say, two other decent chaps to fill the crew, why,
we'll do it!"

"Do you honestly mean it?" demanded Perry incredulously. "Gee, I'll get
permission if I have to--to go without it!"

"How about you, Joe?"

"Um--I guess I could manage it. How long would we be gone?"

"A month. Two, if you like. Start the first of July, or as soon after as
possible, and get back in August."

"How much would it cost us?" inquired Perry. "I'm not a millionaire like
you chaps."

"Wouldn't want to say offhand. We'd have to figure that. That's another
reason for filling the boat up, though. The more we have the less
everyone's share of the expense will be."

"Let's have the whole six, then, for money's scarce in my family these
days. Let's make