ind of
cookies or crackers or soap maybe. So just for the fun of it I stood up
and said.

"Friends and enemies: Ever since about five o'clock this afternoon I've
been hunting for a chance to do a good turn. The first one I tried to
do didn't pan out. So here's my chance to do a good turn and I have to
thank the honorable Elk Patrol for giving me the chance." Then I turned
the big wooden medal over so the other side showed and everybody read
"_Honey Boy_" and began to laugh. Even Vie Norris had to laugh. "If it
wasn't for the Elks I'd have to go to bed without doing a good turn."

Crinkums, you ought to have seen Mr. Ellsworth laugh. All the time he
knew something was wrong, I guess, but he never bothered with things
like that. "Settle your own disputes," that's what he always said. The
only fellow that didn't take it as a joke was Connie Bennett and just
for that reason you'll have to hear more about it.

One thing more happened that day. When it was nearly dark Westy Martin
(he's my special chum) came to me and said, "There's a boat coming this
way and I think it's coming here." I went over to the rail where all of
the fellows were watching and there was a rowboat with two men in it,
headed straight for us. Pretty soon they came alongside and, oh, boy, I
was so shaky that I just held onto the rail with my hand trembling.
Because they had badges on and I knew they were men belonging to the
government.

Good night, I said to myself, it's all up now; they're after Lieutenant
Donnelle. They're going to search the house-boat and ask a lot of
questions and I'll have to tell.

When they got on board one of them said, "We just want to give you the
once over, mate."

Oh, didn't my heart go down to my feet. I thought it would be all right
if I didn't stay around because they couldn't ask me any questions if I
wasn't there. And I was on the side of Lieutenant Donnelle, I didn't
care what. So I went into the galley and began straightening things out
there. After a little while Westy came and stuck his head in through
the window.

"Are they gone?" I asked him.

"Sure," he said.

Then I said, "What did they want?"

"They were only just inspectors," he said; "and they wanted to know if
we had power."

"You mean an engine?" I asked him. "Sure," he said, "because if a boat
has a _fixed engine_, it has to have a license and a certain kind of
whistle and bell and lights and all that."

"A fixed engine?" I said, "if we ha