putting into harbour at night. As it was already
after four o'clock, they finally concluded to stay where they were until
morning, although the _Follow Me_ crowd were eager to be away. "Our
first harbour would be Ponquogue," said Steve, "and that's a good
forty-six or-seven mile run. Personally, I don't care much about messing
around outside after dark. This is all new water to me. If we start in
the morning we'll have plenty of time to run as far as Shelter Island,
if we want to."

This was agreed to, although Perry protested that as the charts showed a
life-saving station every five miles or so all down the shore it was a
shame not to take a chance. "I've always wanted to be taken off a
sinking ship in a breeches-buoy," he said.

"Would you mind being wrecked in the daytime?" asked Neil. "I'd love to
see you in a breeches-buoy, Perry, and I couldn't if it was dark."

"Let's all go up to the hotel for dinner," suggested Wink Wheeler. "They
have dandy feeds there, and maybe we can scare up some fun. Any of you
fellows like to bowl?"

"First of all," said Han, "we want to see your boat, fellows. Let's go
over now. I'm ready for hotel grub if the rest of you are. Can we all
go, Steve, or does someone have to stay behind and look after the
boat?"

"That's the crew's duty," said Phil gravely. "We'll bring you back a
sandwich, Han."

"Yes, a Han-sandwich," added Perry.

When he had been toppled backward down the after cabin steps Harry
Corwin said that they'd been in the habit of leaving the _Follow Me_
unguarded for hours at a time and that so far no one had molested her,
and Steve decided that it would be safe enough if they locked the
cabins. So presently the _Adventurer's_ tender was lifted off the chocks
and put overboard and after hasty toilets the boys piled into it and the
two dingeys, each loaded to the limit, set off for the _Follow Me_. The
latter was a thirty-four foot craft, with a hunting cabin that reached
almost to the stern, leaving a cockpit scarcely large enough to swing a
cat in; although, as Perry remarked, it wasn't likely anyone would want
to swing a cat there. The cabin was surprisingly roomy and held four
berths, while a fifth bunk was placed forward of the tiny galley. The
latter was intended for the crew but at present it was the quarters of
"Brownie." The sixth member of the ship's company occupied at night a
mattress placed on the floor and philosophically explained that
sleeping there h