So the other chap was the Congressman. I'd guessed as much. I went up to him and held out my hand.
"Pleased to know you, Mr. Shelton," says I. "Had the pleasure of votin' for you last fall."
Shelton shook and smiled. "This is Cap'n Snow, isn't it?" he says, his eyes twinklin'. "Glad to meet you, I'm sure. I've heard of you often."
"I shouldn't wonder," says I. "Major Clark and me are old chums and I cal'late he's mentioned my name at least once. Hey, Maje?"
The Major grinned. I grinned, too; and Shelton laughed out loud.
"I never saw such a talkin' machine in my life," snaps Clark. "Don't stop to tell us the story of your life. Take us aboard that boat of yours. You've got to get us back to Ostable, d'you understand?"
"Have, hey?" says I. "I appreciate the honor, but.... However, maybe you won't mind tellin' me what you're doin' here, twelve miles from nowhere?"
The Major was too mad to answer, so Shelton did it for him.
"Well," he says, smilin' and with a wink at his partner, "we came in the Major's auto, but—"
He stopped without finishin' the sentence.