ocent as could be.

"'Oh, thunder! I had business there, that's all. GOT ANY GASOLINE?'

"I made my skiff's painter fast to a cleat on the launch and climbed
aboard. 'Gasoline?' says I. 'Gasoline? Why, yes; I've got some gasoline
over on my power-boat out yonder. Has yours give out? I should
think you'd filled your tank 'fore you left home on such a trip as
Provincetown. Maybe the pipe's plugged or something. Have you looked?'
And I caught hold of the handle of the cabin-door.

"He jumped and grabbed me by the arm. ''Tain't plugged,' he yells,
sharp. 'The tank's empty, I tell you.'

"He kept pulling me away from the cabin, but I hung onto the handle.

"'You can't be too sure,' I says. 'This door's locked. Give me the key.'

"'I--I left the key at home,' he says. 'Don't waste time. Go over to
your boat and fetch me some gasoline. I'll pay you well for it.'

"Then I was sartin of what I suspicioned. The cabin was locked, but
not with the key. THAT was in the keyhole. The door was bolted ON THE
INSIDE.

"'All right,' says I. 'I'll sell you the gasoline, but you'll have to
go with me in the skiff to get it. Get your anchor over or this craft'll
drift to Eastham. Hurry up.'

"He didn't like the idee of leaving the launch, but I wouldn't hear of
anything else. While he was heaving the anchor I commenced to talk to
him.

"'I didn't know but what you'd started for foreign parts to meet that
Newport girl you're going to marry,' I says, and I spoke good and loud.

"He jumped so I thought he'd fall overboard.

"'What's that?' he shouts.

"'Why, that girl you're engaged to,' says I. 'Miss--' and I yelled her
name, and how she'd gone abroad with his folks, and all.

"'Shut up!' he whispers, waving his hands, frantic. 'Don't stop to lie.
Hurry up!'

"''Tain't a lie. Oh, I know about it!' I hollers, as if he was deef. I
meant to be heard--by him and anybody else that might be interested.
I give a whole lot more partic'lars, too. He fairly shoved me into the
skiff, after a spell.

"'Now,' he says, so mad he could hardly speak, 'stop your lying and row,
will you!'

"I was willing to row then. I cal'lated I'd done some missionary work
by this time. Allie's guns was spiked, if I knew Barbara Saunders. I
p'inted the skiff the way she'd ought to go and laid to the oars.

"My plan had been to get him aboard the skiff and row
somewheres--ashore, if I could. But 'twas otherwise laid out for me. The
wind was blowing prett