d so much like an apple, and, moreover, it was apparent
that here was a boy whom it would be utterly impossible to quarrel with
on any ground whatever--or in any tree whatever.

"Gee whiz, this is a funny thing," Pee-wee said; "I was kind of making
believe that I was an explorer, but anyway I'm glad you're here."

"I'm here because I'm here," said the other boy.

"Gee, I can't deny that," said Pee-wee.

"It doesn't make any difference to me," said the boy; "I'd just as soon
be in one place as another."

"As long as it's not school," said Pee-wee.

"Oh, that's understood," said the other boy; "let's talk of something
pleasant."

"I bet there'll be a lot of apples here later," said Pee-wee; "when
it's vacation, hey?"

"I don't know whether they'll be here," said the other boy, "because
you can't trust this blamed island over night, but they'll be on the
tree, wherever it is, and the way to find them will be to look for the
tree."

"_You said it_," said Pee-wee. "What's your name?"

"Roland Poland," said the boy; "Roly Poly for short."

"Mine's Walter Harris, but they call me Pee-wee. How did this island
get here anyway?"

"It started being an island under my very feet," said Roly Poly.
"There are five scouts in my patrol besides myself; we're just getting
started----"

"I'm the only one in my patrol," Pee-wee interrupted. "Where do you
come from?"

"From North Bridgeboro," said Roly Poly, swinging his legs. "The six
of us went to camp for the day just above old Trimmer's land up the
river."

"I know him," Pee-wee said; "he's a grouch."

"Very muchly," said Roly; "he's worse than algebra."

"He's worse than algebra and civil government put together," said
Pee-wee.

"Did you say _civil_?" said Roly Poly; "don't mention civil in the same
sentence with him; he's the man that put the crab in crab-apple."

"He's got a dandy orchard, though," said Pee-wee.

"Sure, this is a part of it," said Roly Poly.

CHAPTER IX

THE LOOKOUT SEES A SAIL

"_Good night_," said Pee-wee; "I don't blame it for going away from
him. Can he take it back? It's an island now and it's part of
Bridgeboro. He can't take it on account of international law; that's
what _I_ think. How did it happen?"

"It's a very short story," said his new friend; "it's only about a mile
and a half long--from North Bridgeboro down to here. We were camping
in Wallace's grove and a little way down the river we saw a kind of a
li