doubt that he would be willing to help him in his strait, and he was
almost as delighted to see him as he would have been to see Herbert
himself. There would be no need now of the raft, and he gladly suspended
work upon it.

Rising to his feet, he called out:

"Hello, there!"

George paused in his rowing and asked--for he had not yet caught sight
of Robert:

"Who calls?"

"I--Robert Coverdale!"

Then George, turning his glance in the right direction, caught sight of
the boy he had tried to snub in the morning.

CHAPTER X

ROBERT COMPLETES THE RAFT

"What do you want of me?" asked George superciliously.

"Will you come to shore and take me into your boat?" asked Robert
eagerly.

"Why should I? You have no claims on me," said George. "Indeed, I don't
know you."

"I was at Mr. Irving's this morning, playing croquet with Herbert."

"I am aware of that, but that is no reason why I should take you into my
boat. I prefer to be alone."

If Robert had not been in such a strait he would not have pressed the
request, but he was not sure when there would be another chance to leave
the island, and he persisted.

"You don't understand how I am situated," he said. "I wouldn't ask such
a favor if I were not obliged to, but I have no other way of getting
back. If you don't take me in, I shall probably be obliged to stay here
all night."

"How did you come here?" asked George, his curiosity aroused.

"I came in a boat with my uncle."

"Then you can go back with him."

"He has gone back already. He is offended with me because I won't do
something which he has no right to ask, and he has left me here
purposely."

"Isn't your uncle a fisherman?"

"Yes."

"I don't care to associate with a fisherman's boy," said George.

Robert had never before met a boy so disagreeable as George, and his
face flushed with anger and mortified pride.

"I don't think you are any better than Herbert," he said, "and he is
willing to associate with me, though I am a fisherman's boy."

"I don't think much of his taste, and so I told him," said George. "My
father is richer than Mr. Irving," he added proudly.

"Do you refuse to take me in your boat then?" asked Robert.

"I certainly do."

"Although I may be compelled to stay here all night?"

"That's nothing to me."

Robert was silent a moment. He didn't like to have any quarrel with
Herbert's cousin, but he was a boy of spirit, and he could not let
George leave witho