A little before six o’clock Mr. Delavan and his friends came aboard, Mr. Coggswell among them. The boat left the pier right afterward.
“How do you like this boat, boys?” asked Mr. Delavan, approaching the chums as they stood together by the wheel after passing below the Battery.
“She’s a fine craft, sir,” Tom Halstead answered.
“I’m glad you like her,” nodded Francis Delavan, smiling. “I’ve bought the ‘Soudan,’ but I bought her in order to present her to you, Halstead, and to you, Dawson.”
CHAPTER XXIV
CONCLUSION
TOM HALSTEAD started, then, open-mouthed, gaped at Francis Delavan in sheer amazement.
“You’re joking, sir,” he said, thickly.
“I sometimes do jest,” admitted the Wall Street man, “but this is not one of the occasions. Did you young men think I would let your services pass without remembering them in some substantial manner? But here, I’ll convince you as to whether I’m joking or not. Here comes the president of your Club. Mr. Prescott, to whom does this boat belong?”