As that necessitated an immediate exodus from the island, an eager pilgrimage started for the little landing near Saturday Cove, where lay the coveted craft at her moorings.
To the disinterested eye she seemed old and shabby, to say nothing of dirt. To Billy, however, she was a vision of beauty and a promise of joy. The ex-owner took the lad for a trial spin so that he could learn the tricks of the little engine.
Billy disdained the tow offered by Captain Ed and insisted upon returning under his own power. Not for nothing had he watched and helped for weeks with the Captain’s engines, hoping for the day when he should be captain of his own launch.
That same night, as they lounged about Fred’s teepee, the Chief made a suggestion.
“Now that Cap’n Bill has a launch suppose we make an aqua-plane? We might start it to-morrow.”
The idea was met with delighted “Hows!” and in the morning all started on the carpenter’s job.
The plane completed, the boys felt such a pride in the work that they longed for some one to admire it. Besides, they had to have an audience when they aqua-planed. So it came about, that all of the girls and Aunt Flo-Flo were invited to a bathing party with aqua-planing on the side.
The boys drank greedily of the admiration freely poured out by the girls as they stood about the plane. Finally, the girls were invited to try it.
“Isn’t it awfully hard to manage?” asked Trixie.
“Not much harder than that wooden horse on the merry-go-round,” teased Paul.