"I'll take after 'em!" the captain said. "Now we know where they have their camp in the woods, we know where to find them."
"May I come and help you catch 'em?" begged the oldest of the six little Bunkers.
"No, indeed!" laughed his father. "Chasing after tramps isn't the same as roasting marshmallows."
"Well, I'd like to come," Russ continued wistfully. "I could stand back and throw stones at 'em, while you and Captain Ben caught 'em. Please let me come!"
But of course this could not be, and when the six little Bunkers had been taken for a walk by their mother, Mr. Bunker, Captain Ben and some other men started to search for the tramps who had taken the rowboat.
Russ, Rose and the others had lots of fun. They played in the sand, waded in the water, and, after their father and Captain Ben had come back, the captain said they might go crabbing.
"Did you get the tramps?" asked Russ, as he saw the Spray come gliding up to Captain Ben's dock.
"No, we couldn't even get sight of them," was the answer. "I guess they have gone for good. Don't worry about them. I have another rowboat, though I am sorry to lose that one."
"You're losing lots of things," commented Rose. "First you lose your wrist watch and now your boat is gone."
"I'd rather have that watch back than three boats," the captain declared. "But now, little Bunkers, we'll have some fun. We'll go crabbing from the end of the pier."