n the cabin for two
fellows to sleep, if they don't mind being crowded, and of course in
warm weather one can sleep out here. I've used her quite a lot to go
duck hunting, and for little cruises when I've been all tired out.
Charlie Jamieson has been with me several times."

"I've heard him talk about the good times he's had on her. It was stupid
of me to have forgotten."

"She's not very fast or very fashionable, but she is good fun. I'd
rather have a steady, slow engine that you can depend on than one of
those racing motors that's always getting out of order."

"All ready to start, sir, Mr. Trenwith," said Bates, his 'crew,' then,
and Trenwith took the wheel.

"All right," he said. "Let her go, Bates! You can steer from the wheel
in the bow after we get started, right down the coast. We'll lie to off
Humber Island and eat supper."

"Right, sir!" said Bates. "I've got a good supper for to-night, too."

"Being right out on the water this way makes me hungry," said Eleanor.
"That's good news, Bates."

CHAPTER XII

THE TRAITOR

The _Columbia_ slowly and steadily made her way down the coast,
keeping within a mile or so of the shore. Speed was certainly not her
long suit, but she rode the choppy sea more easily than most boats so
small would have done, and, since she was not intended for speed, the
usual traffic din of the motor was absent. Altogether, she seemed an
ideal pleasure boat.

As they went along, Trenwith pointed out the various places of interest
along the shore.

"Down this way we get to a part where a lot of rich men have built
summer homes," he said. "You see there's a good beach, and they can buy
enough land to have it to themselves. It's pretty lonely, in a way,
because they're a good long way from the railroad, but they don't seem
to mind that."

"I suppose not. They've got money enough to keep all the automobiles and
yachts they want, so they wouldn't use the railroad anyhow. I never
would if I could get around any other way."

As they went on, the coast changed considerably from the familiar
character it had at Plum Beach. Cliffs took the place of the bluff, and
while the beach was still fine and level, there were rocky stretches at
more and more frequent intervals.

"What's the nearest town in this direction?" asked Eleanor.

"Rock Haven," said Trenwith. "That's more of a place than Bay City,
because it's quite a seaport. Up at Bay City, you see, we don't amount
to much exce