achine, so one of 'em could get a few hundred feet of film for
a picture news service that he represented.

"It ought to be great stuff," says Fatty.

"Young man," says Old Hickory, breathin' hard and talkin' through his
teeth, "have you any idea what a splash you'd make if you were dropped
overboard?"

"Oh, come, guv'nor," protests Fatty; "we only want to--"

About then, though, he decides to make a scramble for his boat and the
interview was off. Old Hickory stands glarin' after the pair until
they're out of sight. Then he chuckles unpleasant.

"For a private, not to say secret, enterprise," says he, "it occurs to
me that ours is rather well advertised. What next, I wonder?"

"There's a big boat headed this way on the other side," says I. "Seems
to me I hear a band, too."

"Excursionists!" says Auntie. "Do you suppose they would have the
impudence?"

"Looks like a moonlight round trip, with the _Agnes_ as the object of
interest," says I. "Yep! They've got the searchlight on us."

"This is insufferable!" says Auntie, and beats it below, to lock
herself in her stateroom.

"Gr-r-r-r!" remarks Old Hickory, and follows suit.

We never did trace out who had done such thorough press work for us;
but I have my suspicions it was the chief steward, who went ashore
reg'lar every morning after milk and cream. But the round-trippers
surely was well posted. We could hear 'em talkin' us over, shoutin'
their comments above the rumble of the engine.

Vee and I didn't want to miss any of it, so we hikes up on the bridge
and camps behind the canvas spray shield. Captain Lennon come up, too,
sort of standin' guard. It was 'most like bein' under fire in the
trenches.

"That's her--the _Agnes_ of New York!" we heard 'em sing out. "My,
what a perfectly swell yacht, Minnie! Ain't they the boobs, though?
Hey, Sam, why dontcher ask them squirrels can they make a noise like a
nut? Huntin' pirate gold, are they? Who's been kiddin' 'em that way?"

"Little sample of Southern hospitality, I expect," says I. "All they
lack is a few ripe eggs and some garden confetti."

"I wonder if Auntie can hear?" giggles Vee. "Do you know what this
makes me feel like? As if I were a person in a cartoon."

"You've said it," says I. "What I mind most, though, is that fresh
gink with the searchlight. Say, Cap'n, why couldn't we turn ours loose
at him as a come-back?"

"Go ahead," says Captain Lennon, throwin' a switch.

Sa