things would pick up by tomorrow."

"Rats! Who's afraid?" laughed Josh, who knew he was sure of lots of
comfort aboard the roomy boat belonging to Herb.

It was, however, put to a vote, because Jack believed in majority
ruling in matters affecting the whole crowd. Nick himself voted in
favor of going on. Whether he did this because he was ashamed to show
the white feather, or from fear lest they might not be able to secure a
further supply of oysters, none of them ever really knew. But the
motion to continue the cruise was carried unanimously.

As they issued forth from the creek they found that the river seemed
much wider than they had believed it to be. And apparently it would
keep on that way, with the shores drawing further apart, until they
found themselves on Delaware Bay, which in parts, Jack understood, to
be something like twenty-five miles from side to side, an ocean in
fact, for such small craft.

"We must have been camping in Delaware last night, eh, Jack?" called
out Herb, as the three boats ran along side by side, even George
curbing his propensity for rushing ahead.

"Sure we did," spoke up George. "I found out on the chart where we
stopped. Look away over there in Jersey, and you'll see a cloud of
smoke hovering over Salem. How about that, Jack; am I correct?"

"That's Salem, all right; and we've got to start at a better pace than
this if we hope to get anywhere before night. Hit her up, George, and
we'll do the best we can to follow," Jack answered.

This pleased the jaunty skipper of the _Wireless_ first-rate. He
always liked to lead the procession, and set the pace for the rest.

So, as the morning wore on, they made good progress. Of course the
others were compelled to tone down their speed to suit the pace of the
old _Comfort_, that just wallowed along in what George called a "good
natured way." Boat and skipper were very much alike; but then that
similarity also applied in the cases of George and his speed boat; yes,
and with regard to Jack, too, who united the good qualities of both
other skippers, as his craft did those of stability and speed.

At noon they ate a lunch while still booming along; for Jack had
discovered a bank of clouds coming up in the west that he did not just
fancy, and hoped to make a certain point before the storm, if such
there was in store for them, should break.

"What's this mean, Jack?" asked George, a couple of hours later,
falling back somewhat