"Yet,
believe me, I hate awfully to seem discourteous about it."
"Oh, all right," muttered the stranger, nodding to the two boatmen, who
had rowed him out alongside.
"Good!" grunted Eph. "I'm glad you didn't let him on board, Captain. On
this cruise our luck doesn't seem to run with strangers."
"It doesn't, for a fact," laughed Jack Benson.
"Hi, ho--ah, hum!" yawned young Somers, stretching. "It will be mine for
early bunk to-night, I reckon."
At this moment a boat was observed rounding the stern of the "Hudson." It
came up alongside, landing a marine sentry.
"Anybody on the 'Farnum' want to go ashore to-night?" hailed a voice from
the gunboat's rail. "The shore boat will be ready in five minutes."
"I believe I would like to take just a run through the village," declared
Jack, turning to his chum. "Do you feel like a land-cruise with me, Hal?"
"I think I'd better go," laughed Hastings. "You seem to get into trouble
when you go alone."
"All right, then. And, Eph since you're so sleepy, you can turn in as soon
as you want. The boat will be under sufficient protection," Jack added,
nodding toward the marine slowly pacing the platform deck.
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