soothingly. "We want to do the whole
thing as cheaply as we can. I see no harm in leaving the cooking end of
it to you, Brazier; that is, if you can go."

"I'm going to make a big try for it," declared Oscar resolutely. "If my
folks won't let me, they--they'll wish they had!"

Whereupon, emboldened by Oscar's stand, Neil Fairleigh expressed the
conviction that he, too, could manage it some way. "I dare say that if I
tell my dad that all you chaps are going he will think it's all right.
It wouldn't be for all Summer, anyway, would it?"

"The idea now," responded Steve, "is to start out for a month's cruise
and extend it if we cared to. I suppose any of us that got tired could
quit after the month was up." He smiled. "We'd all have to sign-on for a
month, though."

"Right-o," agreed Hanford. "What about electing officers? Oughtn't we to
do that? Someone ought to be in charge, I should think."

"Sure!" exclaimed Joe. "We'll ballot. Throw that pad over here, Ossie."

"Wait a minute," said Steve. "I've been thinking, fellows. The
_Cockatoo_ will hold six comfortably. The main cabin has berths for four
and the owner's cabin for two, but if I'm not mistaken the berths in the
owner's cabin are extension, and if they are we could bunk three fellows
in there, or even four at a pinch. That would give us room for seven or
eight in all. Eight might make it a bit crowded, but she's a big, roomy
boat and I think we could do with seven fellows all right. And seven's a
lucky number, too. So suppose we take in one more while we're at it?"

"The more the merrier," agreed Joe. "Who have you got in mind?"

Steve shook his head. "No one, but I guess we can think of a fellow.
There's--"

Steve was interrupted by a knock on the door, and when Hanford, who was
nearest, had, at a nod from Steve, unlocked the portal a tall, rather
serious-faced youth of seventeen entered.

"Oh, am I butting-in?" he asked. "I didn't know. I'll come back later,
Joe." Philip Street smiled apologetically and started a retreat, but
Steve called him back.

"Hold on, Phil!" he cried. "Come in here. You're the very fellow we
want. Close the door and find a seat, will you?"

"By Jove, that's so!" exclaimed Joe, and the others heartily endorsed
him. Oddly enough, not one would have thought of Phil Street in all
probability, but each recognised the fact that he was the ideal fellow
to complete the membership. Steve, Joe aiding and the others attempting
to, ou