that he could bail, because
that boat is built like a sieve.

"If it keeps on leaking like that," I said, "there won't be any water
left in the river-it'll all be in the boat."

"It's pretty hard bucking the tide," Westy said.

"And we're going up hill besides, too," I told him; "remember that."

Well, you should have seen Pee-wee. "What are you talking about-up
hill!" he shouted. "When we begin going down hill," I said, all the
while winking at Westy, "she'll go easier, thank goodness."

"We'll have to put on the brakes," Westy said.

"Do you know why they talk about towing lumber?" I asked Pee-wee;
"because it's measured by the foot."

"You're crazy!" he shouted.

"Just the same as when they use it for back fences, it's measured by the
yard," Westy said, all sober like.

"Sure--back--yard," I said.

"You think you can jolly me, don't you?" Pee-wee shouted.

"You just keep on bailing," I said, "and don't stop. When the tide begins
turning you won't have to bail so fast."

Jiminy, Pee-wee didn't know what to think--whether I was kidding him or
not. "Why won't I?" he wanted to know.

"Because it will be going the other way," I said, "see? It'll be flowing
away from the boat."

Oh, boy! Pee-wee just emptied the bailing can down my neck.

And that's the way it was all the way down. Cracky, but we had Pee-wee
so crazy that he'd bail up a can of water out of one end of the boat
and empty it in the other end.

"What's the difference whether it's inside or outside?" Westy said, "as
long as it's there. I bet there's a lot of canned salmon in this river."

"Canned what? Pee-wee shouted.

"Keep on bailing," I said; "canned salmon is what he said, but I think
there are more pickled herrings. There's lots of pickled herrings in
the Hudson, I know that."

"You mean smoked herring," Westy said, all the while rowing and looking
around very sober like at me.

Oh, boy, didn't Pee-wee open his eyes and stare! He didn't know whether
to take it for a joke or not--we were so serious.

"I suppose it's on account of the smoke from the big Hudson River
boats," I said, "just the same as Oyster Bay."

"What about Oyster Bay?" Pee-wee shouted.

"When the water gets all stewed up in rough weather, they get stewed
oysters."

"Not always," Westy said.

"No, but most of the time," I said.

"Oh, sure," Westy said, "but I've seen lots of red lobsters that didn't
come from Red Bank--"

"It's boiling makes them red; y