Part 30 (2/2)
Regested:
”While you're in Port Angeles you ht look in at the fresh fish markets and find out what's the h at best, but they've been getting worse for a long tih to pay to shi+p”
Gregory pro at his watch, saould have to leave at once
”I wish you could go up there with me,” he exclaimed ”Why couldn't you?
I'll wait”
A sirl's lips, then disappeared on the instant ”It wouldn't be proper,” she said gravely ”Port Angeles is a city and people look at things differently in cities Aunt Mary would have nervous prostration if I even suggested it”
McCoy walked with dickie Lang to the dock to bid Gregory _bon voyage_ and wish hiht of the launch nearing the float and their disappointirl aside
”You have the same idea about her that I had,” he said ”But don't worry Barrows'about and if she doesn'this voice so that only dickie could hear, he met her eyes ”You'll notice,” he said, ”that I named her Richard But as boats are always called 'she,' you will understand that irl could recover from her surprise he hurried away and dropped into the seat beside the driver As the boatman threw in the clutch and the launch shot out into the streaory looked back at the wharf and noted that dickie Lang's cheeks were red beneath her tan
And Jack McCoy, though he said nothing as he walked with the girl along the dock, wondered what the boss could have said to make dick blush like that
CHAPTER XIX
ROCK FOLLOWS UP
His first ride in a speed-boat
Kenneth Gregory leaned back on the cushi+ons and watched the _Richard_ drag her heavy hull through the quiet water of Crescent Bay A feeling of disgust assailed him The craft was utterly worthless for his purposes She had no pick-up at all and was barely able toahead of one of the fastest of Mascola's fishi+ng-boats
The driver, who called himself Bronson, appeared to be perfectly satisfied with the vessel's behavior and th they reached the outlet and the _Richard_ settled coh of the swell Then Bronson turned to his passenger
”Better put on your rain-coat,” he suggested ”We'll be bucking the wind and it picks up the spray and throws it right back at us”
As he spoke he slipped into his slicker and waited for Gregory to don his ory announced ”Let her go”
Bronson looked cautiously over his shoulder
”Want to keep an eye out for Mascola,” he said ”Don't want hiood and ready I won't open her up to-day Motor's too stiff yet and we're liable to burn out so”
As he spoke he advanced the throttle and the _Richard_ protested at his action in a series of spasory felt the hull rising Perhaps the craft was not dead after all, but only sleeping Watching Bronson's fingers on the spark and throttle, he noticed that thethem cautiously
”Watch out for your hat,” Bronson adory ht his hat just in ti her great hood higher and higher in air while the hull seemed scarcely to be in the water at all The wind blew in their faces like a hurricane carrying with it great clouds of spray which drenched their skins and blinded Gregory's eyes Gasping for breath, he noticed that the _Richard_ was cliher Then Bronson opened the cut-out and the craft sped away like an angry sea-bird
The roar of the exhaust was deafening and Gregory was obliged to shout to the man beside him before he was able to make himself heard