Bowers. "What are we going to do for breakfast,
Will?"

Sure enough! No one had thought of that, and the Rangers had not even
started a fire, while in the other camp the cook was already beating
lustily on his big tin pan.

In this emergency the canoe-boys again extended the hospitality of their
mess. Moreover, they offered to do this so long as they remained on the
island if the Rangers would furnish the provisions, as their own were
nearly exhausted.

Of course the Berks boys readily entered into this arrangement, though
Will Rogers remarked to Hal Bacon that he wished they had brought along
a larger supply of provisions, and wondered how the New York boys had
expected to hold out for ten days longer on the scanty allowance of food
remaining in their mess-tent.

"They didn't," answered Lieutenant Hal. "They've only got to live on 'em
for two days more. This is Thursday, and they are going back on
Saturday, you know."

"What!" exclaimed Will.

"Yes, didn't you know? Cousin Tom asked me last night why we didn't come
sooner, and then I found out that we had made a mistake in the date, and
got here during the second week of their camp instead of the first.
It'll be all right, though, for Captain Crotty is sure to be back in a
few days. In fact, I think it's a lucky thing he had to leave, for he'd
been certain to want us to go back when the other fellows broke camp,
while now, perhaps, we can stay a whole week longer."

"Yes," replied Will, dubiously. "I suppose it's all right; at the same
time I shall be mighty glad to see him coming back."

CHAPTER VIII.

WAR CANOES, CRUISERS, AND RACERS.

Never in their lives had the Sea Rangers enjoyed themselves more than
they did during the two days following that of their shipwreck. They
swam, and fished, and paddled, and watched the most exciting of match
races between rival canoes, and at night gathered about the roaring
camp-fires for songs, stories, and high jinks, until it seemed to them
that no other form of life was half so well worth living as this. They
looked back with disdain upon the quiet humdrum of Berks, with its
houses and beds and school and chores, and regular hours for meals, and
all such things. Even their fire-engine and their bicycles no longer
seemed to possess the attractions that had once caused them to appear so
desirable, and when Sam Ray hoped Captain Crotty would not be able to
come for them in less than a month, he voiced the sentiment o