eeze, and, with a "bone
in her teeth"--a white bar of foam at her bows--reached for the open
sea.

"Take the wheel," ordered the skipper, nodding at Harriet. "Don't move
it much except to fill your sails. See that the sails are full and
pulling strongly at all times, and watch the weather for squalls. When
the sails are pulling too strong, point the nose closer into the wind,
but the 'Sue' will stand up under more than an ordinary squall. That's
it."

"She is a splendid boat!" cried Harriet.

"She is at least a well-balanced boat," answered Captain Billy.
"Having the wind on the quarter, we do not have to tack any on this
course. You see, we are headed Northeast by East three-quarters. Keep
her there."

"Were I to keep straight on as I am, where would we land?" asked
Harriet.

"England."

"Oh, let uth keep right on until we get to England," piped Tommy. "How
far ith it?"

"Three thousand miles, more or less," replied the skipper.

"Thave me!"

She had followed the skipper forward, where he had gone to change the
set of one of the jibs, Tommy watching him with questioning eyes.

"There wath a man at the camp the other day," began the little lisping
girl.

"A man? What did he want in your camp?"

"He wath athking quethtionth about you and the boat," replied Tommy
innocently.

"Eh?" The skipper's filmy blue eyes took on a steely glint. "Asking
about me?"

"Yeth."

"What did he want to know?"

"All about you."

"Did he say what for?" Captain Billy showed more excitement in his
manner than Tommy ever before had seen him exhibit.

"No, not that I know of. He athked the guardianth about you, tho I
heard, where we got you and who got you. Why do you thuppothe he
wanted to know all of thothe thingth?" questioned the little girl, her
eyes wide, questioning and innocent.

"I don't know, Miss. Forget it."

"Do you thuppothe it hath anything to do with the 'Thilly Thue' going
out in the night?"

Captain Billy gripped the sheet that he was wrapping about a cleat,
his red face took on a deeper shade, his eyes grew menacing. But Tommy
refused to see anything threatening in either attitude or gaze. She
chuckled gleefully.

"Oh, I can keep a thecret. I haven't told anything, have I?" laughed
Tommy as she ran back to her companions, her eyes bright and
sparkling. "I made him thit up and notithe thingth," she chuckled in
Harriet's ear. "You watch him, and thee how mad he lookth when he
cometh back here."