o excuse, you must know sooner or later what sort of a cook I
am, for we expect to share many a meal in common."

In such a hearty way did Paul Singleton greet him, and of course Darry
had to obey orders, even though hardly hungry.

He entertained Paul with an account of his recent adventures, and that
young gentleman nearly doubled up with merriment when he heard how a
malicious fate had succeeded in cheating Sim Clark out of the reward of
his villainy.

"And where are you off to now?" demanded Paul, when they had finished
their "snack," as he termed it in Southern style, and Darry seemed to be
getting ready to depart.

"Across to the station. Mr. Keeler told me last evening there was some
important mail to go over, and I think its going to storm worse before
it finally clears up."

"Looks pretty dusty out there even now, for your little tub. Say,
suppose we take your boat in tow and go over in the launch? I was
wondering what to do only a little while back. Besides, I've wanted to
see the surfmen work their boat, and if it comes on to storm hard,
perhaps there may be a necessity for them to launch. I'd be sorry to
have a wreck occur; but if it does happen I'd like to be on hand. Say
yes, now, Darry."

Of course he did, for who could resist Paul Singleton; especially when
the passage could be made so much more quickly in the staunch little
motor-boat than with his own clumsy craft.

In a short time they sallied out.

The cedar craft was a model of the boat builder's art, and carried a
twelve-horse power engine, so that even though the wind and tide chanced
to be against them they made steady progress toward the shore seen so
dimly far across the sound.

Nearly every wave sent the spray flying high in the air as it struck the
bow; but there was a hood to catch this, and besides both occupants of
the motor-boat had donned oilskins before starting.

It was a long trip, nevertheless, for the wind continued to increase in
force as the afternoon waned, and Darry, with a sailor's gift of
foretelling what the weather was to be, predicted that the succeeding
night must witness a storm such as had not visited the coast since the
night he was cast ashore.

Abner was delighted to see his boy, and it was not long before the party
found shelter in the warm station, for the air was growing bitter.

"A bad night ahead!" said one of the surfmen, after greeting Darry, "and
worse luck, poor Tom here has broken his leg. Mr.