nd
crossbones. But--but," he admitted, "ma took it away from me."

"Never mind," said Dot, kindly. "I've got a handkerchief," and she
pulled forth from her pocket a diminutive bit of cambric. "You get some
shoeblacking and we'll make another."

Sammy was for getting settled at once, and he went to the door of the
decked over cabin intending to put their possessions inside. But the
door was made fast with a big padlock.

However, a hatch cover was off one of the hatchways, and the sunshine
shone down into the hold of the canalboat. It seemed dry and comfortable
just under this opening and there was a rough ladder which gave access
to the hold. Sammy went down first; then Dot delivered the package of
groceries into his arms, then the basket of fruit, and lastly backed
over the edge herself in a most gingerly way, and was helped down
gallantly by the pirate chief.

"Now what'll we do, Sammy?" asked the little girl eagerly.

"We'll unpack our things first," said Sammy. "Then I'll rig up a
fish-line. We'll have to catch fish to help out with the rest of the
grub," added the practical youngster.

"But not with worms!" cried Dot, with a shudder. "If you bring any of
those horrid, squirmy worms aboard this boat, I--I'll just go right home
and not be pirates any more."

"Oh! All right," said the scornful Sammy, who found "female pirates"
rather more trying than he had supposed. "I'll fish with grasshoppers."

"We-ell," agreed Dot. "Only don't let 'em jump on me. For if they do
I'll scream-- I know I shall, Sammy."

"Pooh! Pirates don't scream," growled the boy.

"Not--not even girl pirates?"

"No," said the boy doggedly. "'Taint the thing to do. We got to be real
savage and--"

"Oh, but, Sammy!" gasped the little girl, "I couldn't be savage to a
grasshopper."

However, they unpacked their provisions and arranged them on a board.
Dot really could not keep her finger off that mellow peach.

"I don't believe Ruthie would mind," she said at last. "And, anyway,
it's getting so juicy that maybe it wouldn't be good by the time we got
home--"

"Don't I tell you we ain't going home no more!" demanded Sammy.

"Er--well, then I guess we'd better eat the peach to save it," said the
little girl, with some hesitancy. "You cut it in half, Sammy," she added
with more decision.

Inroads were made upon most of the other provisions within the first
hour. For, indeed, what else is there more interesting in being pirates
than