the historic town, Ossie and Perry bearing Neil’s strange-looking luggage.  Neil insisted on viewing Plymouth Rock, declaring that he might never get another opportunity, and after that there was not much time left to them.  They installed Neil on the train impressively, stowed his luggage around him and then took up positions outside the window, where, to the mingled curiosity and amusement of other travellers, they conducted farewell exercises.  These included an entirely impromptu and unsolicited duet by Perry and Han, a much interrupted speech by Joe, and, finally, as the train moved out of the station, a hearty Dexter cheer with three “Neils!” on the end.  In such manner the Adventurer lost her cabin boy and the ranks of the club were depleted by one.

Neil’s departure left a hole and as the others returned from the station they spoke of him rather as though he had passed on to a better world, recalling his good points and becoming quite sad in a cheerful way.  In view of their bereavement, they decided to have luncheon at a hotel and during that meal recovered their spirits.  More sight-seeing followed, but the day was a hot one and by half-past three they had had enough and so returned to the landing and pulled back to the cruiser.  Steve, who had supplied himself with yesterday’s New York and Boston papers, pre-empted a seat on the bridge deck and stretched himself out on it, his legs crooked over the railing.  The others found places in the shade as best they could and talked and watched for the Follow Me and listened to occasional snatches of news from Steve.  There was practically no breeze and the afternoon was uncomfortably hot even under the awning.  Joe finally solved the difficulty of keeping cool by disappearing below and presently re-emerging in his swimming trunks and dropping overboard.  That set the fashion, and they all went in save Steve, who was too absorbed in his papers to know whether he was warm or not.  The Follow Me came up the harbour just before five and tooted a greeting as she swung around to a berth near the Adventurer.  The fellows, who were still in bathing attire, swam across to her, and very shortly their ranks were increased by just half a dozen more.  The sight of Steve’s feet hanging over the canvas was too much for Perry and he yielded to temptation.  Swimming up very quietly he deftly pulled off one of Steve’s “sneakers” and, in defiance of the owner’s protests, they played ball with it until the inevitable happened and it sank out of sight before Wink Wheeler could dive for it.  “Brownie” said then that Steve might as well let them have the other one, since one shoe was no use to him, but Steve’s reply was not only non-compliant but actually insulting in its terms.  He took off the other “sneaker” and laid on it.

That bath left them feeling both refreshed and hungry and Ossie had a hard time finding enough for them to eat.  Perry described the astonishment of some Plymouth fisherman when he opened a codfish some fine day and discovered a rubber-soled shoe inside.  “You’ll read all about it in the paper, Steve, and won’t you laugh!” he added.