n you get started on account of the
bridge being balanced right and it's geared up, too. But what's the
use if you can't find the key-bar?

"It must be somewheres around," Westy said, all excited.

Oh, didn't we turn things inside out! But it wasn't any use--we
couldn't find it.

"Don't let's bother," I said, "I've got an idea, come ahead--quick!"
I didn't even stop to tell him what I was thinking about, but I hustled
back into the boat, with Pee-wee after us, wanting to know what we found
inside.

"A couple of mysteries," I panted out.

"How many?" he wanted to know.

"And a couple of ghosts thrown in," I said, "Hurry up."

On the way across I told the fellows to please let me talk to the old
man, because I had something particular to say to him. I was panting and
rowing so hard, that I couldn't tell the fellows then. Anyway, I guess
Pee-wee had that house haunted and filled with German spies and Uncle
Jimmy murdered and goodness knows what all.

We pulled up right alongside the tug-boat and I called out to the old
man that I wanted to tell him something and to please let me come up.
I was all trembling, but anyway, I said it right out and I didn't wait
for him to say yes, because he was too busy saying other things to say
it.

Westy and Pee-wee stayed in the rowboat and I went right up into the
little house where the old man was. Oh, boy, wasn't everything polished
all nice and shiny! Gee, it was nice up in there. The wheel looked
awfully big and the compass, you could just see your face in it. And it
smelled kind of oily and nice up there. Wouldn't I like to live in a
place like that!

The old man was smoking a pipe and he blew out a lot of smoke--it was
kind of like a barrage.

Then he said very stern and gruff, "Well, sir?"

Oh, boy, wasn't I shaky! But I started right in, and when you once get
started it's easy, that's one sure thing.

I said, "Maybe you'll only be more mad when I tell you but I heard you
say something about Uncle Jimmy deserting. Twice you said that. And I
thought maybe you might be a veteran, hey? Maybe that's a crazy thing to
think, hey?"

All he said was, "Well, sir," and he blew a lot of tobacco smoke at me
and looked at me with a frown, all fierce, but I wasn't scared.

"I only kind of deduced that," I said, "and anyway I've got to admit
you've got reason to be mad."

Even still, all he said was, "Well, sir," and he held his pipe so I
thought maybe he was going to chuck