"I'm afraid not this time. If all goes well, I shall sail from New York a week from next Tuesday."
"Where to?" Bob asked disappointedly.
"For the South Sea Islands."
"Gee, do you mean it?" Jack asked.
"I sure do," his uncle smiled. "And I was just wondering if you could tell me where I could find two boys around nineteen years of age to go with me."
Bob looked first at Jack and then at his uncle and Jack, after nearly choking on a bit of bread, which, he afterward declared "had gone down the Sunday road," finally gasped: "D-did you say two boys?"
"Two boys. Yes, I said two boys. You see, I want them for company and to help along certain lines. Do you know of any?"
"I don't suppose it would do to have them related to you," Bob grinned.
"Well, of course, we might run into a bit of danger down there, but I know the ropes pretty well, and if they weren't too closely related, why I don't know but it might do," Mr. Lakewood spoke slowly as though carefully considering the case.
"You think nephews would be too close?" Jack laughed.