“Would Captain Romano’s boat be ‘fun’?” asked Mrs. Balfour suddenly.
The three boys looked at her in surprise.
“Captain Joe want ten dollars a day for the Three Sisters,” continued Hal. “That’s the answer to that.”
Mrs. Balfour spoke in a low voice to Mrs. Allen for some minutes. Mrs. Allen seemed protesting against a suggestion. In spite of this, Bob’s mother at last turned to the boys again.
“Young gentlemen,” she began, “I wasn’t at all anxious for Bob to undertake these week-end outings, although, likely enough, they may be just what he needs. I even objected to them. But now, since he seems to have been the cause of so much trouble, I want the club to carry out its program. Since he has caused you to lose your boat, he’ll provide another. I will consider it a favor if the club will permit me to provide a new boat.”
The long faces of three despairing boys rounded out in beaming smiles.
“Ah reckon maybe we could find some sort o’ craft ourselves,” began Tom, with an instant burst of southern pride.
“Mebbe a skiff would do,” suggested Hal with a feebler show of protest.
“No,” continued Mrs. Balfour, “I ask it as a favor—for Bob. I want you boys to charter Captain Romano’s Three Sisters and make it the club boat. I’ll feel better satisfied anyway, for the captain is an old sailor—”
“Do you mean it?” shouted Bob impulsively, throwing his arms about his mother’s neck. “Hurrah for you, mother—you’re a brick.”