d who had just declared that he was not that
person. Speechless at the apparent untruth, they could only stare.

Seeing their looks of astonishment at his declaration, the man laughed
loudly, apparently enjoying hugely the joke that the boys could not see.
Supporting himself against the rail, he gave vent to peals of merriment
at the expense of the five young lads.

"So you don't believe me, eh?" he inquired at length, controlling himself
with an effort. "I can't blame you, don't you know!"

"Say, Mackinder, you ought to be in vaudeville!" declared Jimmie in
reply. "For a lightning change artist, you're decidedly it!"

"Thank you!" acknowledged Mackinder, choosing to accept the boy's words
as a compliment. "You're almost too kind, don't you know!"

"And then," the boy went on, "as a monologue artist, you'd certainly have
them all backed off the boards. I know a place in New York where you
could draw down your two fifty per without half trying!"

"An engagement, do you mean?" queried the man, with interest.

"Just that!" stated Jimmie. "And then, there's another place up the
Hudson a ways where you ought to be making little ones out of big ones.
They give a fellow a long engagement there and supply costumes!"

"All of which means that you're spoofing me a bit, don't you know!"
returned their visitor without resentment. He was apparently enjoying the
situation hugely, and meant to make the most of it.

Seeing that his words failed to arouse or draw out the other, Jimmie
turned disgustedly away to lean over the rail.

Ned began to question their guest, but was interrupted by Jimmie, who
announced that he saw a steamer's smoke on the horizon.

"This water is quite thickly sprinkled with vessels of all sorts," said
the alleged Mackinder. "Perhaps we'd better get out, you know!"

"What do you make that vessel out to be?" asked Ned.

"It doesn't make any difference what it is," replied the other, "we shall
be better off if they don't find us! We don't need them!"

"Very well," put in Jimmie, "then we'll get up steam on this wagon and
slide along. I'm going to say this to you, though, that Mackinder or no
Mackinder, we're very grateful for your help. If we get an opportunity to
reciprocate, we'll be only too glad to do it!"

With this, the boy turned and offered his hand to the man. It was grasped
with a hearty grip that conveyed a sense of friendliness.

"You can help me right now," was the response. "Come aboa