sn't an island when he got on it, see. Anyway,
that man can't take it, can he? So will you start a patent combination
patrol? And I vote for you to be the leader!"

"Let's see if we can't start the island," suggested Ripley.

"We don't want to start a Bridgeboro patrol and then find that we're in
Southbridge!" said one of the boys whom the others called Nuts.

"Oh, I don't see why not," drawled Townsend; "trouble is," he added,
glancing casually about, "we can't go on any hikes. If we start
skirting the coast we'll get dizzy."

"I know what we can do," said Pee-wee, "because, gee whiz, we've got to
have exercise, that's one sure thing. If we can make the island go
round why then we can keep walking like a--like a--you know--like a
horse on a treadmill--hey? And we won't get dizzy at all, because
it'll be the island that goes round, see?"

"That's a very good suggestion," said Townsend, "but suppose on one of
our long hikes we want to stop and camp. As soon as we stop hiking
we'll start going round backward with the island."

"We should worry," said Pee-wee.

"Oh, we're not going to worry," said Townsend.

"You said it," vociferated Pee-wee. "Do you know why I like you?
Because you're--you know--you're kind of--sort of----"

"Absolutely," said Townsend. "You read me like a book."

"This is better than books," said Pee-wee, "because this is a kind of a
desert island and a ship, isn't it? So will you all stay here till I
get back, because I'm going to get my tent and some eats and a lot of
stuff for camping and then we'll start our patrol."

"I can't say that we'll stay here," said Townsend, "but we'll stick to
the island. I have a hunch that this island is going to put one over
on us. If we're not here when you get back you'd better advertise in
the 'Lost and Found' column of the Bridgeboro paper, 'Lost, one desert
island. Finder will be suitably rewarded upon returning same to the
patent adjustable scouts----'"

"Not adjustable--_combination_," Pee-wee corrected. "Do you like
roasted potatoes? I know how to roast them. And I'll get some bacon,
too; shall I?"

"Suppose you should be captured by your parents while you're on the
mainland," Townsend inquired.

"Then I'll send you a smoke signal," Pee-wee said, "and you can come
and talk to my mother, because she'll be sure to listen to you because,
anyway, you've got a lot of sense."

"And several of us will canoe up to North Bridgeboro and