“Name’s Bill—Bill—pshaw! I’ve clean forgotten it.”
Jerry felt the keeper must notice his confusion.
“There he is now,” went on Mr. Stilkins, pointing to a man coming toward the lighthouse. Jerry and his chums turned expecting to see Bill Berry confronting them. The shock, when they saw that the keeper’s assistant was a little fat man, about as broad as he was tall, and crosseyed; (as different as possible from Bill Berry), almost made Jerry gasp.
“Hi, Bill!” called the keeper. “What’s your last name?”
“Smith,” was the answer.
“Must have been a terrible strain on your mind to remember that,” commented Sam. “Well, have you boys seen enough?”
The chums felt that they had, considering that the man they sought was not at this lighthouse. They silently made up their minds they would have to try the next one.
As the little party boarded the Dartaway the keeper called them an invitation to come and see him at any time. He promised to show them the light when it was in operation, and the boys resolved to take advantage of the offer.
“Now for a little try at the sharks,” spoke Sam, as the boat got underway and swung out into the channel. “I think we’ll stand out a bit.”
“We might run on the rocks, they’re out a ways,” said Bob.