to make ourselves
as comfortable as the law allows."

"No going ashore to cook dinner this night," remarked Jimmie, as he
surveyed the dripping trees close by.

"Well," said Jack, "let's be thankful that we've got such a bully old
tarpaulin to keep the wet off. Suppose we get busy right away with it?
The sooner it's up the quicker we can shake these nasty oilskins;
though I hadn't ought to run them down, because they've served us well
today, and kept us dry as toast. I don't believe you could get wet if
you tried, in these Fish suits."

"Aw! Buster did!" observed the other, with a droll chuckle.

"You're right, he certainly did. But then I didn't mean if you took a
header overboard. Now, up with your end, Jimmie, and fasten it snug.
I've got mine ready; and in a few shakes of a lamb's tail we'll be able
to laugh at the weather."

"And, worse luck, now that we've stopped runnin' it looks like it's
goin' to clear up, so it do," grumbled the other.

"All right," laughed the skipper, "we can stand it. So much the
better, because we've got a big run ahead tomorrow, to make up for the
time lost today. I'd give a cooky to know just where the other boats
are right now. I only hope nothing has happened to either--at least
nothing serious; because there's just bound to be something going amiss
with that engine on the _Wireless_ nearly every day she runs."

Presently the cover was in place, and tautly secured. Under its
shelter both boys doffed their waterproofs and made things look more
shipshape. Jimmie, as usual, was more than ready to get to work with
that dandy little Juwel kerosene gas contraption; and its cheery
humming soon told that supper was under way.

Jack meanwhile found plenty to do in rearranging things in the boat;
for during a day such as they had just endured makeshifts are in order.

Under Jack's schooling Jimmie was beginning to improve in his cooking;
and as he took more or less pride in the results, there was some hope
for him; whereas with Buster it was a thankless task.

They had a few eggs left, and these were made into quite a tasty
omelette. Then a can of corn was opened, to be heated in a saucepan.
This, with a pannikin of tea, and some baker's cakes, constituted their
meal. And as both boys were quite hungry they enjoyed every particle
of the same.

"While they were eating Jack had heard sounds that annoyed him.

"I'm afraid we're pretty close to a road, Jimmie," he had rema