Tip quickly announced the reason for their hurried call. He introduced his two companions, and the lame man’s eye kindled as he looked at Hugh.
“Why, to be sure, I’d like to do anything I could to accommodate so brave a lad,” he said breezily, as he laid a hand affectionately on Hugh’s shoulder. “I saw what you did down at the bridge; and the people of Lawrence have good reason to be glad you happened to be marooned here. But about my boat, I’m sorry to disappoint you. I’ve already promised it to my nephew who’s visiting us; he was sick abed, but insisted on getting out to do something. He’s down there at the boathouse now. You might ask him to let you go along.”
This was a bitter disappointment. Still, it might be worse, and the three boys started in the direction of the boathouse, Billy muttering as he went:
“Playing second fiddle isn’t according to my liking, as a rule; but we’ll see what we’ll see. Mebbe we might coax him to give up the ship, or else toss him overboard!”
CHAPTER VI.
A LUCKY MEETING.
“Do you know this nephew of Mr. Sperry, and is he a decent sort of fellow?” asked Hugh of Tip Lange, as the three of them started down the slope toward where the floating boathouse was moored to a tree, having long since been pushed far back of its original landing.
“Never knew he had a nephew,” replied the other over his shoulder. “I reckon he must have come from some other town, and is only visiting here. But he would be a poor sport if he wouldn’t ask us to get aboard and help out. Come on, we’ll soon know what’s what!”
They pushed in through the open door of the boathouse. The first thing Billy saw was that the boy bending over, doing some oiling apparently to the engine of the launch, wore a faded suit of khaki. He felt like giving a cheer, his sense of relief was so great. Instead he simply clutched Hugh by the arm and pointed.
Hugh nodded his head. They could not see the boy’s face, but the sight of that uniform was certainly pleasant to the patrol leader. He seemed to feel a sudden surety that the one who wore it must have subscribed to the rules by which all scouts are governed, and if so he could not well refuse to accept them as comrades in arms.
Tip Lange coughed loudly, which, of course, was intended to let Mr. Sperry’s nephew know of their presence. At that the stooping boy raised his head to look.