“Humph! Some folks get good all of a sudden!” sniffed Paul.
Mrs. Remington had to control her face behind her napkin, and to change the subject, she said: “Where have you decided to go on your cruise to-morrow?”
“Up to Castine and back again,” replied Billy.
“We expect to start about seven in the morning,” added Fred.
“Oh, can’t we go with you?” cried Dudley, coaxingly.
“No indeed!” answered Mrs. Remington, decidedly. “You know nothing about sailing, and the dory is too small for a day’s sail for more than two people.”
The two youngsters were inclined to dispute this decision but Fred cut short their grumbling by offering a salve in form of an invitation to spend the day on Captain Ed’s farm. The Captain lived on the mainland and made periodical trips across the bay to bring back butter and eggs from his farm. This idea of going with the Captain pleased Paul and Dudley so that they went to bed in an amicable frame of mind.
Early the next morning every one was up to see the boys off on the cruise, and breakfast was eaten in much excitement. It was a perfect day that seemed made to order for the sailors. A light southerly wind was blowing and soon the tide would begin to flow and that would help them along materially.
Paul and Dudley, still yearning for the joys of a cruise watched the dory leave the float-stage and then they ran to the north end of the island just to see the last of the little craft and the two boys they so heartily envied that morning.
But no time was wasted in vain regrets when once the dory was out of sight. The two boys hurried back to the float to wait for Captain Ed who was to carry them away for a glorious day on his farm.