they found Tom Corwin,
very dirty and hot and somewhat peevish, reassembling the engine with
the help of "Brownie," and learned that the trouble had been discovered
and that the boat would go just as soon as they could get her together
again, which, from present indications, would be some time the day after
tomorrow! Harry Corwin told Steve he had better go ahead, that there was
no use in the _Adventurer_ lying around and waiting, but Steve replied
that there was no hurry and that they'd stand by. The atmosphere on the
_Follow Me_ was not very cheerful and the visitors went back to their
own craft after a decent lapse of time. About three the fellows donned
swimming tights and went in from the boat and had a fine time in the
water, and by the time they had had enough of that there came a
heartening _chug-chug-chug_ from the _Follow Me's_ exhaust and Wink
announced that they were ready to go on.

As a result of the delay, it was almost six when they reached Shelter
Island and steered the cruiser to an anchorage. They had supper ashore
at seven, having dressed themselves in shore-going attire, but it was
noticeable that it was the _Follow Me's_ company who made the most of
the meal. Neil met up with an acquaintance on the hotel porch after
supper--they chose to call it supper although it was really a
full-course dinner--and that meeting led to introductions and the boys
"did the society act," to use Perry's disgusted phrase, for the rest of
the evening. As it was a Saturday night there was a dance going on, and
Steve and Joe and Han, of the _Adventurer's_ crowd, and several of the
other boat's company, took part. They didn't get back to the boats until
almost midnight, and Perry fell asleep in the dingey, on the second
trip, and had to be practically hoisted aboard. He muttered protestingly
until he had been dumped in his berth and then promptly went to sleep as
he was.

They spent the next day at Shelter Island, not because anyone
considered it wrong to cruise on Sunday, but because Steve and Joe and
Han had discovered attractions at the hotel. Perry demanded that the
question of staying be put to a vote and the rest agreed, but the result
wasn't what Perry had hoped for because Neil basely cast his ballot with
Steve and Joe and Han. The four went off soon after breakfast, having
spent much time and effort on their various attires, and weren't seen
again until late afternoon. At least, they weren't seen again aboard th