With the now strong flood tide the Rosalie towed the tramp through Brownsea Roads into the sheltered Wych Channel. Here the hawser was let go, and the Pent-y-coote took the soft mud, while the yacht, relieved of her heavy burden, turned, and, passing through the Little Channel, was soon berthed safely alongside Poole quay.
"A successful ending to an exciting voyage, Armitage," observed Mr. Jackson. "I've enjoyed it immensely. Now comes the parting of the ways. I'll catch a train back this evening. Don't forget; if at any future time you and your lads want to renew your acquaintance with Old Father Thames let me know. We might be able to arrange a joint camping-trip, my troop and yours. There are vast possibilities of that nature in scouting, and it seems a pity that we cannot take advantage of mutual hospitality."
The Oxford Scoutmaster packed his kit-bag, and Mr. Armitage and Hepburn saw him to the railway station, while the rest of the crew set to work to "clear up ", so that the owner of the Rosalie might be able to form a good impression of his purchase.
On the way back from the station Mr. Armitage sent a telegram to Mr. Trelawney, advising him of the Rosalie's safe arrival, but upon returning on board, the Scoutmaster found a tall, fair-haired man on deck conversing with the Sea Scouts.
It was the owner. Mr. Trelawney had received warning from Hurst Signal Station that the Rosalie had passed, bound west, and had concluded that she would soon be arriving at her home port. Anxious on account of the fog, he had spent four hours on the quay, and had only just gone into the High Street to have tea when the yacht arrived.
"I hear you've been doing what are called in the Scout movement 'Good Turns'," observed Mr. Trelawney, when the two men had introduced themselves. "I believe it's an understood thing that Scouts refuse to accept rewards for doing good turns."
Mr. Armitage assented, wondering what the Rosalie's owner was driving at. He knew that it was rather a knotty point, for, according to some authorities in the Scout movement, the lads are forbidden to accept rewards for services rendered. On the other hand, in the Sea Scout Manual the possibilities of salvage and deriving monetary benefit for it are dealt with. So, if the authorities differ, thought Mr. Armitage, what was one to do? Up to the present the idea of claiming salvage for assistance given to the disabled tramp had never entered his mind.
"That's all right, then," exclaimed Mr. Trelawney cheerfully. "It leaves me with a free hand. Of course, it's my yacht that performed the salvage operation, and, since you don't accept rewards, I benefit. Now, let's see the inventory. I'll check the thing at once, if you don't mind, and then you'll be able to get away."
It took an hour to examine the Rosalie's gear and compare it with the items on the inventory. This done, Mr. Trelawney paid the Scoutmaster the sum agreed upon for bringing the yacht round, thanked him for what he had done, and gently intimated that the business was at an end, and that there was a fast train at 7.15.
"What a strange sort of fellow," remarked Hepburn, as the Sea Scouts, with their belongings on a couple of hired trucks, made their way to the railway station. "Different from Mr. Murgatroyd."