and hungry, who wept; or his wife while she was
writing the note, doesn't matter. But those marks went a big way
toward convincing me his story was genuine."

Somehow Josh turned red, and no more was said. Those happy-go-lucky
lads could feel for the sentiment that had caused those tears.

"That's Chincoteague Light, ain't it?" asked Herb, after a while,
pointing ahead.

"Sure it is!" Jimmy cried. "I saw it winking at me every time I woke
up last night, so I did, me bhoy!"

"Then we strike across that inlet soon?" suggested George, showing just
the slightest sign of nervousness, Jack thought.

Of the three skippers, George had the most cause for looking serious
whenever there arose any chance for trouble, either through a storm, or
tidal currents. His speed boat, being so very narrow in beam, and
cranky, was least fitted to contend with raging seas; since there must
always be great danger of an upset.

"In less than half an hour we'll spin across and get behind Wallop's
Island. As the tide is pretty well up, we ought to make the riffle
there. I'd hate to get stuck in the mud, and have to wait ten or
twelve hours for another tide to float us off," Jack made answer; for,
as he had the charts, they always looked to him for information.

"Then what next?" asked Herb, wishing to be posted.

"In an hour or more we ought to reach Assawaman Inlet, and after that
will come Gargathy, Matomkin, and then Watchapreague; which last is
said to be the most dangerous along the whole coast," replied the
commodore of the fleet.

"You don't say!" ejaculated George, pretending to look unconcerned;
"and just why is that, please?"

"Well, it happens to be wider than any other, and the currents are
fierce. Besides, some of the natives declare there are mermaids, or
something after that order, that try to overturn boats crossing."

At that the boys let out a combined yell.

"Me for a pretty mermaid, then!" cried Nick. "I always did want to
have a chat with one of those fair damsels of the sea, ever since I
read how they used to comb their hair and sing to the mariners in those
old days of Greece."

"Makes a fellow think of all the old mythological things," declared
George.

"That's right," Herb declared. "You remember about Scylla and
Charybdis, the two fabled monsters that used to alarm the old chaps
hundreds and hundreds of years ago; but which turned out to be a
dangerous rock and a big sucker hole, called a whirl