“Suppose you can’t sail back?” asked Elizabeth.
“Then we can be towed back—if the worst comes to the worst. Who wants to sail with me?” said Fred.
So many replied that they had to draw lots with slips of paper and Paul and Dudley won the prize.
“Oh, won’t that be fine!” cried Paul, dancing about with the winning slip of paper waving over his head.
“Hurrah, I got a winner, too! You’ll let me help sail her, won’t you, Fred?” begged Dudley.
“Well, I’ll let you learn if you’ll do just as I say,” replied Fred, doubtfully.
“Cross my heart, I will,” said Dudley, solemnly.
“Oh, I don’t care if you do sail, Dud, ’cause Benton’s goin’ to let me steer the Zeus,” bragged Billy, nonchalantly.
“Yes, Sonny, I’m going to prepare you for that launch you told me you wanted to buy,” agreed the Captain with whom Billy was a great favourite.
Mrs. Remington smiled at the Captain’s reference to the “phantom launch” of Billy’s and handed Benton a note of acceptance for the picnic.