ruisers
kept well toward shore, for, although the drizzle had stopped, the
navigators feared that a fog might take its place, and that one
experience in Vineyard Sound had been sufficient to last them for the
balance of the cruise. Off Cape Porpoise the boats found rough seas and
the crew of the _Follow Me_ were secretly delighted to observe that the
smaller craft made much easier going. The _Adventurer_ seemed to be
having a thoroughly good time, for she kicked up her heels and waved her
nose and fairly rolled in merriment as the seas came sliding under her
quarter. The bridge deck was a damp place until both side curtains were
lowered and laced to the rails and stanchions. Poor Joe stood it as long
as he could, getting paler and paler and sitting, hands in pockets,
gazing fixedly at the brass kickplate at the top of the forward
companion way, about the only thing in his range of vision that was
fairly steady, and at intervals lurching below with an assumption of
carelessness that deceived nobody, to dose himself with his sea-sickness
remedy. That remedy, however, failed him, and it was not very long
before the Chief Engineer was conspicuous on the bridge by his absence,
while those who listened could hear at intervals a low moaning sound
proceeding from the after cabin. But Joe was not the only one aboard the
_Adventurer_ who suffered qualms of uneasiness, although he alone gave
up the struggle. Both Perry and Han showed pale countenances and looked
big-eyed and pathetic. Neither displayed the least interest in dinner,
while Joe, when cruelly summoned by Ossie, only groaned lugubriously and
turned his pallid face to the wall. At two o'clock the sun broke through
and dyed the sea a wonderful green, and the _Adventurer_ began to meet
other boats. As she left Scarboro Beach on her port beam and began to
nose in toward Peak's Island the sea calmed and by the time the cruiser
was ready to drop her anchor in Portland harbour, Joe, albeit still
rather greenish, had pulled himself back to deck to gaze approvingly at
the shore.

A week went by during which the Adventure Club, one and all, had a
glorious time without anything that in the least resembled adventure.
They spent a whole day in Portland--spent, also, a deal of money there
replenishing an utterly exhausted galley--and then, to use Perry's
inelegant phrase, "bummed around" Casco Bay for three days more. Joe
fell in love with more islands during that time than he had k