eping cabin and all that. We can live aboard her. Be out of sight of
land for a week, maybe."

"Hardly as long as that," objected Will.

"Why not?" Allen wanted to know.

"I'm expecting news, you know. My appointment--and all that."

"Oh, that's so. I forgot. Well, we could put in every now and then, to
see if there was any word for you."

"What's all this?" asked Grace, with a glance at her brother.

"Just a little secret, Sis," he answered.

"Oh, tell me!"

"Not now. Later. Now if you girls----"

"I say!" broke in Percy.

"Hello! He's come to life!" laughed Roy.

"Has your watch stopped again?" demanded Will.

"This is the first I heard about you fellows going on a cruise," went on
Percy. "I--I really, I don't know that I can quite make it, don't you
know."

"Oh, mercy! What a calamity!" whispered Allen, in the depths of a sofa
cushion.

"Will you--will you go out where it is very rough?" asked Percy.

"Rough! You should see the water along the New England coast!" cried
Henry Blackford. "Why, even when it's smoothest, a boat nearly turns on
her beam ends."

"Would one--er--would one get--er--seasick?" faltered Percy.

"One would--most decidedly!" exclaimed Roy.

"Oh, dear! Then I don't believe I can go," went on the other. "But my
father has promised to go for a tour in our motor car, and I may be
able to induce him to take in the New England shore. It would be
horribly jolly if I could, now; wouldn't it? What? Ha! Ha!" and he
beamed on the assembled crowd of young people.

"Most beastly delightful!" mocked Will, in a low voice.

"Where's your place, Betty?" asked Allen.

The Little Captain told him, and the two moved off by themselves for a
little chat.

"Say, Will, why don't you want to get too far from shore?" asked Grace
of her brother. "What's the secret? I think you might tell me!"

"I will when the time comes," he said, coolly.

"You're not going back to Uncle Isaac's factory; are you?"

"Father Neptune forbid! No."

For, as a punishment for a school scrape, Will had been sent to work in
a cotton factory owned by a relative. And, unable to stand the hard
conditions there, he had run away, and had had no end of hard times in a
turpentine camp, until, on their trip to Florida, the outdoor girls had
been instrumental in rescuing him.

"No, I'm not going back there," Will said. "It's a new line of work,
Sis, and while I'm waiting for a certain appointment I think I'll go on
this