about such craft.Yet the engine doesn’t work well enough for meto be satisfied to try to use the boat.”
In a few minutes the three alighted near apier that jutted some hundred feet out over thewater. At the further end lay as jaunty a fifty-footcraft as either boy had ever laid eyes on.
“So that’s the ‘Meteor’? Oh, she’s a dandy!”cried Tom in a burst of enthusiasm.
“Say, look at the beauty of her lines! Whatspeed she ought to be good for, with a strong, well-behaving engine!” came from quiet Joe.
Horace Dunstan smiled with pardonable prideas he led the way down the pier. As far as firstimpressions went the boat was worthy of extendedpraise. Though only five feet longerthan the “Sunbeam,” she had the look of beinga much larger craft. There was more forecastle.The space of the bridge deck seemedbetter arranged. There was an awning overthe bridge deck and another over the cockpitaft. The cabin looked roomier. From davitsat the starboard side swung a natty-lookingsmall boat.
“Gr-r-r-r!” came a warning sound from theclosed forecastle as the trio stepped aboard.
“In the absence of crew I’ve kept my bull pupdown in the engine room,” explained Mr. Dunstan.
“A mighty good idea,” muttered Tom with aswift recollection of the fragments of conversationhe and Joe had overheard on the train.
“Stand back a moment, until I let him outand present you to him,” requested the owner.“Don’t be afraid of him. Bouncer is a veryintelligent dog. Hell understand an introductionas quickly as a human being would.”
One of the forecastle windows was open, togive air to the dog, though it was not largeenough to let him out.
“It’s all right, Bouncer,” called Mr. Dunstanreassuringly, as he fitted a key at the forecastledoor. “Now come out like a four-footed gentlemanand meet some friends of ours.”
Bouncer came nimbly out, a low-built, thicksetbulldog of the finest fighting type. He had asquare-set pair of jaws that looked capable oftaking a tremendous grip. His look, however, under the prompt petting of his owner, waskindly and curious.
“These young gentlemen are all right,Bouncer,” spoke Mr. Dunstan. “Go over andget acquainted with them. Let them pet you.”
Bouncer contented himself with a brief sniffingat each boy in turn. Then he submitted tocaresses, wagging his short stump of a tail.
“He understands. You’ll never need to beafraid of this dog, unless you do some such extremething as to attack me or a member ofmy family,” Mr. Dunstan assured them. “Nowcome down into the engine room.”
“Say, this is something like!” uttered Joeenthusiastically, as he stepped below and stoodlooking about him. Here there was an abundanceof room, for much of the engine was housed backunder the bridge deck. The engineer had plentyof space in which to move about. Forward ofthe engine room, shut off by a curtain, was thegalley. Here were stove, sink, ice box, dishrackand room for a goodly supply of foods.
Through a passageway Mr. Dunstan led themunder the bridge deck. Curtained off from thepassage was a wide berth.
“We generally call this the captain’s berth,”explained the owner.
“I guess my berth will be on one of the engineroom lockers with Joe,” smiled Halstead.
The cabin proved to be spacious and handsome.The four locker seats could be fitted intoberths when cruising. The cockpit aft was largeand contained, besides side seats, half a dozencomfortable armchairs.
“Now suppose we go back to the engine,” desiredMr. Dunstan, turning about. “I’m anxious, indeed, to know whether you can locatethe trouble that has tied this craft up here.”
Returning to the engine room, the boys openedtheir suit cases, taking out overalls and jumpers.Clad in these they were soon armed withwrenches and other tools, exploring the mysteriesof that engine.
“This machine hasn’t had very good care,”spoke Joe after a while. “She’s fouled withdirt and thick oil at a good many points.”
“Has the motor been overheated?” asked theowner.
“I don’t believe so, sir; at least, not to anyserious extent,” Joe stated as his opinion.
“Any repairs to parts going to be necessary?”
“A few, but simple ones, I guess. We oughtto be able to make ’em from the materials athand.”
“You – er – couldn’t run out to-night, I suppose?”
“We shall be very fortunate, sir,” Joe answered,“if we can take this boat out to-morrow forenoon.”
“We’ll stay aboard to-night and work as lateas we can,” Tom explained. “Joe can’t reallytell, until we get started, just how much willhave to be done. But the motor is not hurt pastordinary repair.”
“I was going to ask you over to the hotel fordinner to-night,” hinted the owner.
“There seems to be plenty of everything toeat in the galley,” Tom answered seriously.“So, if you don’t mind, sir, we’ll stay rightby our work and help ourselves to food aswe can.”
“Make yourselves at home, then. Do youmean to sleep aboard to-night?” inquired Mr.Dunstan, as he started up the steps to the bridgedeck.
“I think we’d better, for more reasons thanone, perhaps,” Halstead made answer as he, too, stepped to the bridge deck. “Mr. Dunstan,”he went on in a lower voice, “do youknow of anyone who could have a good reasonfor wanting to injure your boat?”
“Why, no,” replied the owner, though neverthelesshe gave a slight start. “Why?”
Tom described the men and the conversationaboard the train. Mr. Dunstan listened withinterest, though he shook his head when the twomen were described.
“There might be a shadow of reason for theirtalk in one direction,” he admitted, slowly andreluctantly. “But, pshaw, no; I’m dreaming.No, there can’t be any reason for wanting toruin my boat. Very likely you didn’t hear quiteright.”
“At any rate,” Halstead went on, “Joe andI will be aboard to-night, and probably everynight as long as we’re in your employ.”
“You seem to take this thing seriously, Halstead.”
“I don’t believe, sir, in throwing away whatseems like a very valuable hint. It won’t doany harm for us to be watchful, anyway. Bythe way, sir, do you mind letting the dog stayaboard, too?”
“Certainly you may have him,” nodded theowner. “He won’t interfere with you and he’llsleep with one eye and both ears open. Well, make yourselves at home here, boys. Do whateveryou please in the galley and feed and waterBouncer. I’ll be at the hotel this evening incase you should want me for anything.”
After impressing upon Bouncer that he wasstill to remain aboard, Mr. Dunstan strolledleisurely down the pier. Both boys went hardat work.
“What do you make of our new employer?”asked Joe after a while.
“He seems like an ordinary, easy-going man,”Tom replied. “I don’t believe he ever startledanyone
