the river.

"Did I understand you to say that you would be willing to do me a
little favor, if it didn't put you to much inconvenience?" asked
Spence, his voice trembling with an eagerness that Jack could not help
noticing.

"Certainly we will, if it lies in our power," he answered promptly.

"They never was a more obliging gossoon in the wide worrld than this
same Jack Stormways, and ye can depind on that!" exploded Jimmy,
thinking it about time he injected his personality into the
conversation, since he did not wish to be an utter nonentity.

Malcolm Spence thrust a hand into his tightly buttoned leather coat.
When he brought it out Jack saw that it held what looked like a small
packet, which, after all, might be a letter, though it was sealed.

"I wanted to get this to a party by the name of Van Arsdale Spence," he
said, hurriedly, as though afraid that they might back out after all
from their kind proposition; "but I knew he no longer lived in
Beaufort, and I had no means of finding his present address. So,
instead of mailing it, I have carried the thing around with me for
three weeks, intending when I went South to make inquiries and send it
to his new address, if so be he was far away."

"All right, then," declared Jack, stretching out his hand promptly;
"I'll promise to do everything in my power to get it into his
possession. Failing, you must give me some address through which I can
reach you, to tell you it was no go."

"Here's my card, with the address of the makers of this machine. A
letter will always get to me if sent in their care, because, you see,
I'm under a three years' contract to exhibit this invention, and add
new ideas of my own. But I do hope you may be able to find the party.
I'd like that packet to fall into his hands as soon as possible. Too
much time has already been lost. Please keep it safe, will you, Jack?"

The skipper of the _Tramp_ accepted the little packet in a serious
manner that no doubt impressed the other favorably.

"Depend on me to do my level best for you; that's all any fellow could
promise, Mr. Spence," he said, simply, as he stowed the article away in
an inside pocket of his coat.

"Shake hands, please, both of you!" exclaimed the birdman, heartily,
stretching across the little gap that separated him from the motor
boat; "I only wish it had been my good fortune to meet up with you
earlier."

The formality of shaking hands was concluded with more or less
di