"I have spoken to my brother about it," replied Tony, with a smile.
"What did he say?"
"He had no objection."
"Hurrah! We shall have the fleet then! And Tony, we shall go in for having you commodore part of the time."
"That we will!" echoed half a dozen voices.
"You would make as good a commodore as Frank," added Joseph.
"I guess not," answered Tony, modestly. "Didn't you see how slick Frank beat us in the race? If I had followed his tactics, we might have stood some chance, at least."
"Some chance! Didn't we keep ahead of him till we had got almost home?"
"Yes; but that was a part of Frank's tactics. He let us get tired out, and then beat us. But we haven't got the fleet yet, fellows, and we are a pack of fools to count the chickens before they are hatched."
"You said George has no objections," replied Joseph, glancing anxiously at Tony.