t' bein' over I judged he meant the tide bein' out. And
the Cut-through ain't but a little trickle then, though it's a quarter
mile wide and deep enough to float a schooner at high water. It's the
strip of channel that makes Setuckit Beach an island, you know. The
gov'ment has had engineers down dredgin' of it out, and pretty soon fish
boats'll be able to save the twenty-mile sail around the P'int and into
Orham Harbor at all hours.

"Well, to make a long story short, I agreed to let him cart me to
Setuckit P'int in that everlastin' gas carryall. We was to start at four
o'clock in the afternoon, 'cause the tide at the Cut-through would be
dead low at half-past four. We'd stay overnight at my shanty at the
P'int, get up airly, shoot all day, and come back the next afternoon.

"At four prompt he was on hand, ready for me. I loaded in the guns and
grub and one thing or 'nother, and then 'twas time for me to get aboard
myself.

"'You'll set in the tonneau,' says he, indicatin' the upholstered after
cockpit of the concern. I opened up the shiny hatch, under orders from
him, and climbed in among the upholstery. 'Twas soft as a feather bed.

"'Jerushy!' says I, lollin' back luxurious. This is fine, ain't it?'

"'Cost seventy-five hundred to build,' he says casual. 'Made to order
for the boss. Lightest car of her speed ever turned out.'

"'Go 'way! How you talk! Seventy-five hundred what? Not dollars?'

"'Sure,' he says. Then he turns round--he was in the bow, hangin' on to
the steerin' wheel--and looks me over, kind of interested, but superior.
'Say,' he says, 'I've been hearin' things about you. You're a hero,
ain't you?'

"Durn them Orham gabblers! Ever sence I hauled that crew of seasick
summer boarders out of the drink a couple of years ago and the gov'ment
gave me a medal, the minister and some more of his gang have painted out
the name I was launched under and had me entered on the shippin' list
as 'The Hero.' I've licked two or three for callin' me that, but I can't
lick a parson, and he was the one that told Billings.

"'Oh, I don't know!' I answers pretty sharp. 'Get her under way, why
don't you?'

"All he done was look me over some more and grin.

"'A hero! A real live gov'ment-branded hero!' he says. 'Ain't scared of
nothin', I reckon--hey?'

"I never made no answer. There's some things that's too fresh to eat
without salt, and I didn't have a pickle tub handy.

"'Hum!' he says again, reverend-like. '