"But there are to be no matches aboard any boats I command in the future," cried Frank.
"Well, here we are back again," said the captain, as he brought the Seagull, for such was her name, up into the wind. "I'll take you off in my dinghy in a minnit."
"Thank you, Captain, for a fine sail and a brilliant idea, and we won't bother you to take us off; we have our fins," said Frank. "See you later," and one after the other the boys popped into the water like so many porpoises, and, led by Frank, swimming a graceful and easy overhand, they went ploughing up the beach in the direction of the Armstrong cottage.
"Water rats, nuthin' but derned water rats," said the old man, as his kindly eye followed the three swimmers pulling rapidly away towards the shore.
CHAPTER II. FAILURE AND A PROVIDENTIAL RESCUE.
"Dad," said Frank that night at the supper table, "we boys are going into the transportation business. Got any objection?"
"Into the what?" said Mr. Armstrong, pausing in the act of filling his healthy son's plate for the second time.
"Transportation, if you please, sir," said Frank, grinning and reaching for the full dish. "It's like this: Old Captain Silas says there are lots of people about here who want to take little cruises around the islands these fine days. That's condition No. 1."