"Won't their eyes stick out when we tell them about our drifting out to sea and picking up the Mary Ellen?" said Sammy.
"I'll be almost afraid to tell them everything for fear they'll think we're making some of it up," put in Frank.
"Well, if they do, we can show 'em the newspaper stories, and I guess that will hold 'em for a while," crowed Bob, triumphantly.
Before long they ran across the old fisherman, Hamp Salina, sitting on an overturned boat on the beach and mending his nets.
"Howdy, boys," he greeted them, taking his pipe from his mouth as they came up. "What's this I've heerd about your folks goin' away? I kind o' thought you was goin' to stay here all Summer."
"We did mean to when we came down," replied Bob, "but we boys have had an invitation to go out West on a ranch for the last part of the Summer, and we've made up our mind to go."
"Dew tell!" exclaimed Hamp. "Well, that beats all! I shall be sorry to hev you boys go. You've brought a bit of life into this sleepy old place, and I like to hev you around."
This was an unusually long speech from Hamp, and the boys appreciated the old sailor's friendly feeling.
"We're sorry to go too for lots of reasons, Hamp," said Sammy.
"We've just been talking of the fine times we've had here this Summer," put in Frank.