"Sam," whispered Pete, "think of their taking him and you and me for wreckers."
"They'll have to give up all those things, though," whispered back Sam.
The bay fishermen had no thought of doing anything else. They listened with keen interest to the account of the spar buoy, that had been set adrift without their knowledge. They seemed entirely satisfied with the capture of the life-preserver. In return, they told all they knew of the ways of the tug-boat men, and Pat Malone again and again asserted that "those chaps are all sorts, from iverywhere, and not wan American."
Captain Pickering was ready to pay the four very honest fishermen liberally for the time they had spent in watching the thieves and in grappling. It was quite dark, however, before the Elephant again had her crew on board.
"Biggest day I ever had," said Sam to Pete. "Let's come again, right away."
"Bully!" said Pete. "We'll come out with Captain Kroom."
"Come along, boys," put in the Captain. "We'll fish all summer. Glad there's more breeze to carry us home. Pickering, it's just as I told you. Our bay fishermen are honest. They' wouldn't cheat you in the weight of a flounder."
The moon came up, as if the new fresh breeze had brought it, and the homeward sail across the bay did great credit to the qualities of the Elephant. Nevertheless there was much tacking to and fro, while Pete and Sam listened to the two old sailors. There was really hardly anything for them to do but to exchange yarns about their voyages in the splendid clipper-ships which were now being driven from the seas by that terrible fellow, Steam.
"Pete," said Sam, as they stepped out at last upon the wharf, "ain't I glad I came."
"I'm glad you did," replied Pete; "but the Captain's going to take us out again, any day."