mpered in a delirium of joy from one end of the craft to the
other. It is doubtful whether he had ever in his short life had such a
glorious time, and that he remembered it his subsequent history
furnishes the best evidence.

The Professor was just as much delighted as the boys at the sight of
their first marine production, which had gotten away from them and
stranded them on the cliffs three months before. "I am sorry now that
you named the other boats, because this is really No. 1."

"Never mind; this is good enough to be No. 3. Just look at our navy!"

"Where did you find it?"

"Near the point, south of the bay."

"Then it must have been washed there during the late storms, because I
do not think it is possible that it could have gone there at the time it
escaped you, as the wind was blowing directly to the west at that time."

The boys now remembered the circumstance, and as they recalled the
condition of the driftwood around it when they found it on the beach, it
was plain that the storm had been their friend in this case.

"Have you been using oars on the boat?" was the Professor's inquiry, as
he bent over the side and examined the notches which were made for the
oars.

"No; why do you ask?"

"This boat has been used by some one, and not very long ago, at that.
Notice how the forward sides of these notches are worn. It also seems
that civilized people have been using the boat."

The information was so startling that neither of the boys could answer
for a moment. Did they have another mystery to contend with?

But George was alert on the questioning end of any proposition. "Do you
really think white people have had the boat? I do not see anything that
would make you think so."

"If they were savages they wouldn't use the oarlocks or notches, as they
row free-hand, almost without exception; but get a white man in a boat,
and the first thing he looks for is a place to put his oars in. This
incident in itself shows one of the distinguishing features between the
civilized and the uncivilized people."

"In what way is one civilized and the other not?"

"I did not say one was civilized and the other uncivilized. The most
wonderful thing in the advancement of the human race from a state of
savagery to civilization, was the discovery and utilization of a
fulcrum. Whenever man, in an advanced state, undertakes to do anything,
he uses a fulcrum of some kind."

"In what way is it so useful?"

"Primarily, i