ayo. He was obliged
to repeat that query several times. His companions appeared to be wholly
absorbed in their personal woes.

At last Mr. Speed checked his groans long enough to state that the tools
were in "the lazareet."

The lazaret of a coaster is a storeroom under the
quarter-deck--repository of general odds and ends and spare equipment.

"Any way to get at it except through the deck-hatch?"

"There's a door through, back of the companion ladder," said Mr. Speed,
with listless indifference.

Mayo crowded his way past the ladder after he had waded and stumbled
here and there and had located it. He set his shoulders against the
slope of the steps and pushed at the door with his feet. After he had
forced it open he waded into the storeroom. It was blind business,
hunting for anything in that place. He knew the general habits of the
hit-or-miss coasting crews, and was sure that the tools had been thrown
in among the rest of the clutter by the person who used them last. If
they had been loose on the floor they would now be loose on the ceiling.
He pushed his feet about, hoping to tread on something that felt like a
saw or chisel.

"Ahoy, you men out there!" he called. "Don't you have any idea in what
part of this lazaret the tools were?"

"Oh, they was probably just throwed in," said Mr. Speed. "I wish you
wouldn't bother me so much! I'm trying to compose my mind to pray."

There were so much ruck and stuff under his feet that Mayo gave up
searching after a time. He had held his breath and ducked his head under
water so that he might investigate with his bare hands, but he found
nothing which would help him, and his brain was dizzy after his efforts
and his mouth was choked by the dirty water.

But when he groped his way back into the main cabin his hands came in
contact with the inside of the lazaret door. In leather loops on the
door he found saw, ax, chisel, and hammer. He was unable to keep back a
few hearty and soul-satisfying oaths.

"Why didn't you tell me where the tools were? They're here on the door."

"I had forgot about picking 'em tip. And my mind ain't on tools,
anyway."

"Your mind will be on 'em as soon as I can get forward there," growled
the incensed captain.

Mayo was not sure of what he needed or what he would be obliged to do,
therefore he took all the tools, holding them above water. When he waded
past Captain Can-dage he heard the old skipper trying to comfort the
girl, his voice