“Where is the boat?” demanded Mr. Williams.

“She is just in the cove above, sir. I suppose, then, she doesn’t belong to me,” I added, with a sinking heart.

“Hardly, young man; unless you want to pay four hundred dollars for her.”

“I couldn’t pay four hundred cents.”

Considerably downcast, I led the way to where the Catch Me rode at anchor.

All my high hopes concerning her and what I might realize by a sale melted away.

“Then you didn’t take her on purpose?” asked Pointer, as we walked along.

“Certainly not,” I replied. “I thought she was my property.”

“It’s quite likely men are giving away such valuable presents,” sneered the man who had not yet spoken.