ut giving vent to his feeling.

"George Randolph," he broke out, "I don't care whether your father is
worth a million; it doesn't make you a gentleman. You are a mean,
contemptible fellow!"

"How dare you talk to me in that way, you young fisherman?" gasped
George in astonishment and wrath.

"Because I think it will do you good to hear the truth," said Robert
hotly. "You are the meanest fellow I ever met, and if I were Herbert
Irving I'd pack you back to the city by the first train."

"You impudent rascal!" exclaimed George. "I've a good mind to come on
shore and give you a flogging!"

"I wish you'd try it," said Robert significantly. "You might find
yourself no match for a fisherman's boy."

"I suppose you'd like to get me on shore so that you might run off with
my boat?" sneered George.

"I wouldn't leave you on the island, at any rate, if I did secure the
boat," said Robert.

"Well, I won't gratify you," returned George, "I don't care to have my
boat soiled by such a passenger."

"You'll get paid for your meanness some time, George Randolph."

"I've taken too much notice of you already, you low fisherman," said
George. "I hope you'll have a good time staying here all night."

He began to row away, and as his boat receded Robert saw departing with
it the best chance he had yet had of escape from his irksome captivity.

"I didn't suppose any boy could be so contemptibly mean," he reflected
as his glance followed the boat, which gradually grew smaller and
smaller as it drew near the mainland. "I don't think I'm fond of
quarreling, but I wish I could get hold of that boy for five minutes."

Robert's indignation was natural, but it was ineffective. He might
breathe out threats, but while he was a prisoner his aristocratic foe
was riding quickly over the waves.

"He rows well," thought our hero, willing to do George justice in that
respect. "I didn't think a city boy could row so well. I don't believe I
could row any better myself, though I've been used to a boat ever since
I was six years old."

But it would not do to spend all the afternoon in watching George and
his boat or he would lose all chance of getting away himself before
nightfall.

With a sigh he resumed work on the raft which he had hoped he could
afford to dispense with and finally got it so far completed that he
thought he might trust himself on it.

Robert was a little solicitous about the strength of his raft. It must
be admitted that