Part 41 (2/2)

”Looks like a moonlight round trip, with the _Agnes_ as the object of interest,” says I. ”Yep! They've got the searchlight on us.”

”This is insufferable!” says Auntie, and beats it below, to lock herself in her stateroom.

”Gr-r-r-r!” remarks Old Hickory, and follows suit.

We never did trace out who had done such thorough press work for us; but I have my suspicions it was the chief steward, who went ash.o.r.e reg'lar every morning after milk and cream. But the round-trippers surely was well posted. We could hear 'em talkin' us over, shoutin'

their comments above the rumble of the engine.

Vee and I didn't want to miss any of it, so we hikes up on the bridge and camps behind the canvas spray s.h.i.+eld. Captain Lennon come up, too, sort of standin' guard. It was 'most like bein' under fire in the trenches.

”That's her--the _Agnes_ of New York!” we heard 'em sing out. ”My, what a perfectly swell yacht, Minnie! Ain't they the b.o.o.bs, though?

Hey, Sam, why dontcher ask them squirrels can they make a noise like a nut? Huntin' pirate gold, are they? Who's been kiddin' 'em that way?”

”Little sample of Southern hospitality, I expect,” says I. ”All they lack is a few ripe eggs and some garden confetti.”

”I wonder if Auntie can hear?” giggles Vee. ”Do you know what this makes me feel like? As if I were a person in a cartoon.”

”You've said it,” says I. ”What I mind most, though, is that fresh gink with the searchlight. Say, Cap'n, why couldn't we turn ours loose at him as a come-back?”

”Go ahead,” says Captain Lennon, throwin' a switch.

Say, that was a great little thought, for the _Agnes_ has a high-powered glim, and when I swung it onto that excursion boat it made theirs look like a boardin'-house gas jet with the pressure low. You could see the folks blinkin' and battin' their eyes as if they was half blinded. Nest I picks up the pilot house and gives the man at the wheel the full benefit.

”Hey! Take off that light,” he sings out. ”I can't see where I'm runnin'. Take it off!”

”Switch off yours, then, you mutt,” says I, ”and run your cheap sandwich gang back where they belong under the hominy vines.”

My, don't that raise a howl, though! They wanted to mob us for keeps then, and all sorts of junk begun to fly through the air. Then Cap'n Lennon took a hand.

”Sheer off there!” he orders, ”or I'll turn the fire hose on yon.”

Well, the excursion captain stayed long enough to pa.s.s the time of day, but when he saw the sailors unreelin' the hose he got a move on; and in half an hour we was lyin' quiet again in the moonlight.

Must have been well on towards midnight, and I was just ready to turn in when Mr. Ellins comes paddin' out of his stateroom, luggin' two pairs of hip rubber boots.

”Torchy,” says he, ”call Killam, will you?”

By the time I'd routed out Rupert, I finds Auntie and Vee waitin' in the main cabin, all dressed for travel.

”I may be the oldest joke on record,” says Old Hickory, ”but I propose to know before morning what is in that mound. Of course, if anyone feels foolish about going--”

”I do, for one,” speaks up Auntie, ”and I should think you would, too, Matthew Ellins. We've been told how silly we are enough times to-night, haven't we?”

”We have,” says Old Hickory. ”Which is just why I propose to see this thing through.”

”And I am quite as stubborn as you are,” says Auntie. ”That is why I am going, too.”

Vee and I didn't put up any apologies. We just trailed along silent.

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