| THE TIDE AGAINST THEM | [ Frontispiece] |
| THE “WHITEWING” AT HARLEM | faces page [13] |
| HARRY SWIMS FOR THE EDDY | “ “ [27] |
| “IF YOU WANT TO DIG, DIG. I DON’T INTEND TO DO ANY MORE DIGGING” | “ “ [43] |
| THE SOUP EXPLOSION | “ “ [53] |
| THE BOYS BUILT A ROARING FIRE ON A LARGE FLAT ROCK | “ “ [58] |
| JOE IS CAUGHT | “ “ [64] |
| MUMBLE-THE-PEG | “ “ [72] |
| LIFTING THE BOAT OVER THE PILES | “ “ [81] |
| GOING THROUGH THE LOCK | “ “ [93] |
| THE FIGHT WITH THE TRAMPS | “ “ [104] |
| HARRY AND JOE IN A TRAP | “ “ [112] |
| HARRY SETS OUT IN PURSUIT OF THE BOAT | “ “ [124] |
| BIDDING JIM GOOD-BYE | “ “ [130] |
| THE EXPLOSION IN CAMP | “ “ [143] |
THE MORAL PIRATES.
CHAPTER I.
THE truth is, John,” said Mr. Wilson to his brother, “I am troubled about my boy. Here it is the first of July, and he can’t go back to school until the middle of September. He will be idle all that time, and I’m afraid he’ll get into mischief. Now, the other day I found him reading a wretched story about pirates. Why should a son of mine care to read about pirates?”
“Because he’s a boy. All boys like piratical stories. I know, when I was a boy, I thought that if I could be either a pirate or a stage-driver I should be perfectly happy. Of course you don’t want Harry to read rubbish; but it doesn’t follow because a boy reads stories about piracy, that he wants to commit murder and robbery. I didn’t want to kill anybody: I wanted to be a moral and benevolent pirate. But here comes Harry across the lawn. What will you give me if I will find something for him to do this summer that will make him forget all about piracy?”
“I only wish you would. Tell me what your plan is.”
“Come here a minute, Harry,” said Uncle John. “Now own up; do you like books about pirates?”
“Well, yes, uncle, I do.”