A quarter-mile or so of artificial canal took them through the narrow neck of land between the two bays and let them out in a cove beyond whose mouth the waters of Great Peconic stretched, apparently illimitable.  The course was set northeast by east and they began the trip to Shelter Island.  About half an hour later Joe discovered that the Follow Me was far behind and it was soon evident that she had stopped.  After a moment Steve decided to turn back and see what was wrong, and when the Adventurer rounded the smaller boat’s stern they learned that the Follow Me was having engine trouble.  For a few minutes the Adventurer hovered by, and then, as there was a fair breeze blowing now and Joe and Neil were showing interest in the sea-sickness remedy, Steve suggested a tow and Harry Corwin, after some hesitation, pocketed his pride and agreed.  A little before one o’clock the two boats slipped into North Sea Harbour and dropped anchors.  While the Follow Me doctored her engine the Adventurer sat down to a delayed dinner.  Ossie gloomily predicted that everything would be spoiled, but if it was, no one save Ossie apparently knew it.  There was broiled bluefish and boiled potatoes and spinach and sliced cucumbers that day, followed by a marvellous concoction which the steward called a prune pudding.  Perry said he didn’t care what it was called so long as it came, and, please he’d like some more!  No cook can withstand such a compliment as that, and Ossie cast off his gloom.  They all declared that that dinner was just about the best they had ever eaten, and they meant it, and Ossie swelled visibly with pride and almost declined Han’s half-hearted offer to help wash dishes!

When the rest went back to the deck and saw the fellows on the Follow Me eating sandwiches and other items of a cold repast on deck they felt rather apologetic, and Joe and Steve slung the tender over and paddled across to lend what assistance they might.  But they found Tom Corwin, very dirty and hot and somewhat peevish, reassembling the engine with the help of “Brownie,” and learned that the trouble had been discovered and that the boat would go just as soon as they could get her together again, which, from present indications, would be some time the day after tomorrow!  Harry Corwin told Steve he had better go ahead, that there was no use in the Adventurer lying around and waiting, but Steve replied that there was no hurry and that they’d stand by.  The atmosphere on the Follow Me was not very cheerful and the visitors went back to their own craft after a decent lapse of time.  About three the fellows donned swimming tights and went in from the boat and had a fine time in the water, and by the time they had had enough of that there came a heartening chug-chug-chug from the Follow Me’s exhaust and Wink announced that they were ready to go on.