he?" drawled he.

"Oh, no, sir. Mr. Daly's place is on an island off the Maine coast. He
had just put in at the Long Island port for some minor repairs. He
said he was going to cruise a while this summer and wanted to be sure
everything was shipshape before going to Maine. The mate told me they
were waiting to pick up some people at Buzzard's Bay."

"Going to take the yacht through the Canal?"

"Yes."

"An interesting trip," observed Mr. Crowninshield slowly. "That Canal
is quite a time saver for New Yorkers." He yawned and started to move
away. Bob held his breath, waiting.

"I suppose you don't know where Daly was going for his cruise,"
inquired he over his shoulder.

"No, sir, I don't," was the response of the workman who seemed
flattered at having aroused this degree of interest in his story. "I
believe, though, that before they started they were to put into
Newport for provisions."

Newport! Then it was doubtless Newport where O'Connel was to be taken
aboard! Bob dared not raise his eyes lest the excitement that danced
in them be detected.

"And after provisioning up there Daly was to cruise, eh?" called Mr.
Crowninshield. "Well, the Atlantic is wide and he will have plenty of
room."

"That's right, sir," chuckled the mechanic, delighted by the
condescension of the great man whom all New Yorkers knew by
reputation. Think of hobnobbing in this pleasant fashion with one of
the big financiers of Wall Street!

"How simple and kind a gentleman Mr. Crowninshield is!" commented he
patronizingly after the capitalist was out of hearing. "And so
artless!"

Bob struggled not to smile.

Kind Mr. Crowninshield might be but hardly simple. Certainly not
artless. What a rare lot of amusing incidents the world contained!

CHAPTER XIV

BOB AS PEDAGOGUE

The wireless was now in commission and the next morning, after having
waited until the hour designated for O'Connel's signal and received no
message, Bob and his pupils assembled for their first lesson, not in a
stuffy room but on the broad, well-shaded veranda of Surfside. A cool
breeze rippled the water, stirring it into tiny waves and as Dick
dropped into one of the big wicker chairs he fidgeted to be out in the
freshly-painted knockabout that bobbed invitingly at the float.

His father intercepted his yearning glance and instantly interpreted
it.

"Come, now!" said he half playfully. "Quit making sheep's eyes at that
boat, son. An hour's wireless