saying that we should wait
in the anchorage off St. George at Staten Island, until he came and got
us. He said maybe it would be Sunday night or maybe Monday morning, but
anyway, just to ride on our anchor till he came.

We didn't have any adventures going down our river and I won't bother
telling you about it, because it would only be slow. Gee, williger, a
story that's being towed against the tide wouldn't have much action,
would it? I bet you'd skip. So it's better for _me_ to skip than for
_you_, hey?

But anyway, on the way down we got the boat all straightened out inside
and decided just how we'd sleep. Two patrols would sleep in the two
rooms and one patrol on deck under the awning, and we decided we'd take
turns that way, so each patrol would get some sleeping outdoors.

We didn't get to the Kill Von Kull till about five o'clock and I guess
it was about six o'clock when we got to St. George. Oh, but there are
some peachy boats in the anchorage there--regular yachts and big cabin
cruisers. And that's where our adventures began, you can bet. Do you
like mysteries? Gee, that's one thing I'm crazy about--mysteries--
mysteries and pineapple sodas. Oh, Oh!

Then Sandy left us and went off to catch cash-on-delivery fish--that's
COD fish. Oh, boy, but it was fine rocking away out there. Pretty soon
I got supper because I'm cook. I know how to make flapjacks and
hunters' stew, and a lot of things. After supper the fellows decided to
go ashore to St. George and get some sodas and take in a movie show. I
said I'd stay on the houseboat because I had to write up the
troop-book. Maybe I forgot to tell you that I'm troop historian. Most of
the things in this story are out of our troop book.

You'd better not skip the next chapter, because something is going to
happen.

CHAPTER II

TELLS YOU HOW I HAD A VISITOR

We weren't anchored very far from shore, so it didn't take long for all
the troop to row over, even though we only had one small boat. Mr.
Ellsworth went with them so he could look after Skinny.

As soon as I had finished clearing up after supper, I got out the troop
book and began writing it up. I was behind about two weeks with it and
so I had about ten pages to do. Oh, but it was dandy sitting there on
the deck with my feet up on the railing, writing. I mean I was writing
with my hand. Pretty soon it began getting dark and I could see the
lights coming out on all the different boats just like stars. It