and the proprietor of the general
store.

"Have a bottle of lemon, Dad?" invited Percy.

Mr. Whittington was on the point of refusing; he did not care for soda.
On second thought, however, he drank it soberly.

Percy appreciated his father's acceptance of the proffered courtesy.

"It's the first time my money ever bought anything for you."

The experience was a novel one for them both.

Just after light one morning the wrecking-tug from Boston appeared. A
brief examination of the _Barona's_ hull by a diver showed that the
havoc wrought by the sea and rocks had been so great that but little of
value could be saved. So the tug started back that very afternoon, and
the captain and the mate of the yacht went with her.

The weather was now much cooler, and the boys were glad that their stay
was to be short. Wild geese were honking overhead in V-shaped lines on
their way south. Mr. Whittington accompanied the others on a gunning
trip to Window Ledge, and came back with a dozen coots. He smacked his
lips over the coot stew and dumplings prepared by Jim. Throppy
dismantled his wireless and packed up his outfit to send away.

On their last Thursday at Tarpaulin Uncle Tom Sprowl came in on the
smack with Captain Higgins. He had boarded the _Calista_ at York Island.
Everybody, including Nemo and Oso, was glad to see Uncle Tom. His
rheumatism was fully cured and he was spry and chipper. He was more than
satisfied with what the boys had accomplished during the summer, and he
planned to continue lobstering after their departure.

He noted the change in Percy.

"Told Jim your son needed salting," he confided to Mr. Whittington.
"He's all right now."

The afternoon before they were to leave the island Roger reckoned up his
accounts. They showed that after Uncle Tom's share had been deducted,
Spurling & Company had a thousand dollars to divide. Of this, one
hundred dollars had already been paid to Filippo.

Lane handed Percy one hundred and fifty dollars.

"I don't want him to take that," objected Mr. Whittington.

"We shouldn't feel right if he didn't," said Jim.

"Dad," spoke up Percy, "I want it. I've earned it. Look at those hands
and arms. It's the first money I ever had that you didn't give to me.
I'm going to have one of the bills framed behind glass."

"He's earned it, fast enough," corroborated Jim. "Let him take it, Mr.
Whittington. We'll all feel better about it if you will."

So the millionaire gave his