“That’s the crew’s duty,” said Phil gravely.  “We’ll bring you back a sandwich, Han.”

“Yes, a Han-sandwich,” added Perry.

When he had been toppled backward down the after cabin steps Harry Corwin said that they’d been in the habit of leaving the Follow Me unguarded for hours at a time and that so far no one had molested her, and Steve decided that it would be safe enough if they locked the cabins.  So presently the Adventurer’s tender was lifted off the chocks and put overboard and after hasty toilets the boys piled into it and the two dingeys, each loaded to the limit, set off for the Follow Me.  The latter was a thirty-four foot craft, with a hunting cabin that reached almost to the stern, leaving a cockpit scarcely large enough to swing a cat in; although, as Perry remarked, it wasn’t likely anyone would want to swing a cat there.  The cabin was surprisingly roomy and held four berths, while a fifth bunk was placed forward of the tiny galley.  The latter was intended for the crew but at present it was the quarters of “Brownie.”  The sixth member of the ship’s company occupied at night a mattress placed on the floor and philosophically explained that sleeping there had the advantage of security; there was no chance to roll out of bed in rough weather.  The engine compartment lay between cabin and cockpit and held a six-cylinder engine.  Steering was done from the cockpit, under shelter of an awning, but the engine control was below.  The Follow Me was four years old and had seen much service, but she had been newly painted, varnished and overhauled and looked like a thoroughly comfortable and seaworthy boat.  She was copper painted below the water-line and black above, with a gilt line and her name in gilt on bows and stern.  Compared to the Adventurer she was a modest enough craft, but her six mariners asked nothing better and secretly believed that in rough weather she would put the bigger boat to shame.  Captain Corwin levied on the slender supply of ginger-ale and sarsaparilla contained in the tiny ice-chest and after that they again set forth, this time for the nearest landing.

They “did” the town exhaustively and at six-thirty descended on the hotel thirteen strong and demanded to be placed together at one table.  It is doubtful if the hotel management made much money on the thirteen dinners served to the boys, for everyone of them ate as though he hadn’t seen food for days.  Somewhere around eight or half-past they dragged themselves back to the boats and paddled out to the Adventurer, where, since the evening was decidedly chilly, they thronged the after cabin and flowed out into the cockpit.  Perry started up his talking machine and played his dozen records over a number of times, and everyone talked at once—­except some who sang—­and, in the words of the country newspapers, “a pleasant time was had by all.”  And at ten the Follow Me’s crew got back