“A few, but simple ones, I guess. We ought to be able to make ’em from the materials at hand.”
“You—er—couldn’t run out to-night, I suppose?”
“We shall be very fortunate, sir,” Joe answered, “if we can take this boat out to-morrow forenoon.”
“We’ll stay aboard to-night and work as late as we can,” Tom explained. “Joe can’t really tell, until we get started, just how much will have to be done. But the motor is not hurt past ordinary repair.”
“I was going to ask you over to the hotel for dinner to-night,” hinted the owner.
“There seems to be plenty of everything to eat in the galley,” Tom answered seriously. “So, if you don’t mind, sir, we’ll stay right by our work and help ourselves to food as we can.”
“Make yourselves at home, then. Do you mean to sleep aboard to-night?” inquired Mr. Dunstan, as he started up the steps to the bridge deck.
“I think we’d better, for more reasons than one, perhaps,” Halstead made answer as he, too, stepped to the bridge deck. “Mr. Dunstan,” he went on in a lower voice, “do you know of anyone who could have a good reason for wanting to injure your boat?”
“Why, no,” replied the owner, though nevertheless he gave a slight start. “Why?”
Tom described the men and the conversation aboard the train. Mr. Dunstan listened with interest, though he shook his head when the two men were described.