Mr. Berkeley, however, presently succeeded in getting the information that the two other boys were safe at Sanford. Then Chap’s two oarsmen had to be paid, which took every cent he had, and then one of the men who had rowed the countess said his captain would want to be paid for the boat that was smashed.
This matter was soon settled by Mr. Berkeley agreeing to make compensation when they should get back to Jacksonville, and then, after a message had been delivered from the captain of the Winkyminky to the captain of the Humphrey Giles, requesting the latter to telegraph to the city the condition of the disabled steamboat, the Winkyminky’s men rowed away in their boat, and the Giles proceeded on her way.
Chap’s story was a long one, and had many eager listeners, but he did not begin it until he had fully satisfied himself how Helen and Mr. Berkeley happened to be there.
“I feel like another man,” said Mr. Berkeley, when all had been told, “now that I know where Phil and Phœnix are.”
“It would be just our luck,” said Chap, “if those fellows should take some other boat and pass us, and go on to Jacksonville.”
“You need not try to frighten me that way,” said Mr. Berkeley. “No boat has passed us yet, and I have made arrangements with our captain to stop and hail any boat we may meet, night or day, until we reach Sanford. So I don’t think we shall miss them that way.”
“My gracious, Chap!” exclaimed Helen, when she had sufficiently recovered from her excitement to notice something more than the face of her dear brother; “do you wear knickerbockers? And what kind of stockings have you got on?”
“Why,” said Chap, looking down below his rolled-up trousers, “those are not stockings. That is St. John’s River mud. You see I’ve been wading, and, as for my shoes and stockings, I left them over on the bank, where I have been getting water. I don’t cut a very handsome figure, do I?”
Mr. Berkeley and Helen gazed at the long-legged boy, who had lost his hat, and whose wet hair was sticking out in all directions, and they burst into a laugh, in which Chap unhesitatingly joined.
“I expect the people must have wondered,” said Helen, “when they saw me kiss such an awful-looking boy, but I was glad enough to get the chance.”