A decidedly sheepish young man broke through the group and faced Captain Billy.
“I’m the owner of the boat that hit you,” he explained. “We were going to see how close we could come and one of the girls in the boat tickled me and I swung the wheel the wrong way.”
“You almost swung about four hundred people into the lake,” Captain Billy reminded him tartly.
“I’m terribly sorry,” replied the owner of the speed boat, “and I’m decidedly grateful to you for fishing us out of it after we hit you. I’m Maxfield Hooker of Cranston and I’ll be glad to pay for all of the damage to your boat.”
“We’ll talk about that later,” said Captain Billy. “I’ve got to see that those excursionists all make their trains.”
“Did you get that?” said Tom as he nudged Helen. “Maxfield Hooker of Cranston, son of the multi-millionaire soap manufacturer. Captain Billy can have a new Queen if he wants one.”
“My guess is that he won’t want one,” said Helen. “After all, the Queen has had a long and useful career and she certainly proved herself in the emergency tonight.”
Captain Billy made sure that all of the excursionists were safely off the boat and that done, he came back to where Tom, Helen and Margaret were standing.
“I’ve a great deal to be thankful for,” he told them. “It was only through the nerve and calmness of the crew and such as you three that the Queen pulled through. Tom, I’m eternally grateful to you for sticking in the pilot house and to you girls for having the presence of mind to pass out the life preservers.”
Before they could reply Captain Billy turned and hastened up to the pilot house. Tom started to follow but Helen stopped him.