“A tomato can,” said Bee gravely. “I refuse to trust my young and valuable life to her again without a tomato can.”
“If I put all the things in her that the law requires,” said Hal gloomily, “I’d be broke. Besides, there wouldn’t be any room for me!”
“Did you find those things I couldn’t get back, Herrick?” Bee asked.
“Yes, they were kicking around in a foot or so of rain water. They weren’t important, anyhow,” he continued with a smile. “Just two or three nuts from the cylinder heads and the commutator. Well, see you later, fellows.”
The Crystal Spring swung her long boom outboard and crept away from the landing, leaving Hal and Bee looking after her.
“I like that chap,” said Bee with conviction. “I think I’ll have to have him along when I look for that buried treasure.”
“If you don’t keep still about your old buried treasure,” laughed Hal, “I’ll dump you into the harbor.”
“You will, eh? In the first place, my young friend, you wouldn’t dare to, and in the second place you couldn’t do it. Now lead me to the codfish.”
When they returned to the Town Landing at twelve the Crystal Spring and her skipper were before them. Jack waved his hand in triumph as they came down the gangway. “I found the trouble,” he announced. “It was just a loose connection here at this binding post, where the wire grounds on the engine. I’ve been all over the wiring and tightened everything up and she will run like a breeze now. Want to try her?”
They piled in, Jack put the switch on, threw the fly-wheel over once and the engine started. Then he threw the clutch in and took the wheel. The launch moved briskly out of the basin, swung around the corner of the sea-wall and, Jack advancing the throttle, began to chug down the harbor at a good ten miles. Bee looked on in awe.