"And you can tell her I said so," put in Silas, for he liked the Fairview boys, and wanted to give them the pleasures of the trip.
Bob was soon talking to his mother over the wire, and, after some hesitation, she said the boys might make the longer trip. And, on the suggestion of Silas, Bob said they would probably not be home for dinner, since it would be late.
"We'll just get a lunch on my boat," said Silas. "I've got plenty to eat, and a stove to cook it on."
"Oh, that will be fine!" cried Sammy, and the others agreed with him.
So it was arranged, and a little later the Skip went under the bridge, and pointed her bow toward the broader and deeper waters that led to the inlet.
It was about three miles to where the waters of the ocean and Cove met, and the channel was so twisting, on account of the shifting sands, that Silas did not like to let the boys steer. So he held the wheel himself.
From time to time, as the boat went on Silas would raise the hatch cover, and look at the throbbing motor, to see that it was running all right. Once in a while he would oil it. The boys looked on with interest when he did this, and asked many questions.
Silas explained how he had to spin the flywheel around to start the motor, and how he turned on the spark and gasolene. Sometimes, he said, the motor would start when the electric switch was closed, without the flywheel being turned by hand.
Now and then, as the Skip went along, Silas would look up at the sky, and shake his head as though in doubt.