"Certainly," replied Dr. Mallerby. "Where's the breakdown? Here's the key of the garage, Stratton. Take the jack, and, when you return it, lock up and put the key through the letter-box. Good-night!"
"Why," exclaimed Roche, as the lads approached the slipway, "I do believe she has moved."
"Yes," added Rayburn, the Tenderfoot; "she's turned round."
There was a laugh at this. The idea that the heavy boat could have swung round seemed preposterous. But the Tenderfoot was right after all. The Olivette had unaccountably launched herself, and was now riding to her bow-rope and the ebb tide.
CHAPTER II
Stolen
"Well, I'm blest! How did that happen? Quick with the dinghy, lads. No, Bruin, you stop there. It's much too late for little dogs to go afloat."
Four of the Sea Scouts manned the dinghy and pushed off to the Olivette. The bow-rope was cast off from the shore and made fast through the dinghy's stern ring-bolt to the transom. Then, with the gentle tide, the lads towed the Olivette to her moorings.
"Not such a bad day's work after all," commented Stratton after they had rowed back to the beach and taken the unnecessary jack back to the garage. "Ten o'clock to-morrow will be early enough. It's no use burning the candle at both ends."