"D-D-Do you think you can s-s-square us with B-B-B-Baluster?"
"Ye-es,—I guess so."
I did not want to be dismal about it, but my own opinion was that the Captain would be furious. His boat had been missing now for two days.
"W-Well, if he thinks we've been having a p-p-p-picnic, that's where he's off. We s-sailed over to S-S-Squid C-Cove that night, and went ashore in the t-t-tender. It was d-d-dark as a p-p- pocket, and this ch-ch-chump here, S-Spike, didn't make the t-tender f-fast to the s-slip, and she f-floated off. The f-fog was so thick that we couldn't s-see the yacht, and we didn't dare t-try to s-swim for her, b-because if we got wet and c-couldn't f-find her, and had to l-l-loaf around all night on s-shore, s-s- soppin' wet, why, that would be r-r-rotten, you see. S-Spike s-s- stripped and s-swum out into the f-fog, but he couldn't f-f-find her, and we thought the b-b-blooming yacht had g-gone adrift, t-too! And so we s-stayed on sh-shore, and slept in a p-p-potato- patch, and all we had to eat was some r-r-radishes. I ate f-f- fiiteen of 'em, and they g-g-gave me the p-p-p-p-pip… And when we woke up in the m-morning, there was the t-tender, on sh-shore, about t-twenty yards away,-she had f-floated b-back again, you see."
We were getting out into the Bay, and I asked them where they were going.
"G-G-G-G-Give it up; there's no p-place that's s-safe for us, now.
Everyone's hand is against us."
I asked them to head for Lanesport, and told them that I expected to meet the rest of the "Hoppergrass's" crew there.
"L-L-L-L-L-Lanesport!" exclaimed the boy at the wheel, "it w-would be sailing into the j-j-jaws of d-d-d-death! W-Why, d-don't you s-see when we s-stole this b-boat w-we c-committed pup-pup-piracy on the high s-s-seas! They'd s-s-s-string us right up at the y-y- yard-arm!"
"Oh, no, they wouldn't. I'll fix it up with Captain Bannister."
"That's all right," said Spike, "but piracy isn't the only thing they've got against us."