ahead, much as if he were angry, until they arrived at the end of the
street at the water's edge.

Bartholomew pointed to a beautiful little yacht that was riding at
anchor a short distance from the shore, and said, in a tone of triumph:

"That's the boat!"

Joe and Ned stood looking at her with such undisguised admiration that
Bartholomew seemed willing to forgive their ignorance in not knowing
him, and at once entered into a detailed account of what the yacht had
done in the way of sailing.

"Do you s'pose you could manage her?" asked Joe. "You see I don't know
anything
about boats, an' of course this little shaver here don't."

"Manage her? Why, I could sail a whole ship all alone if I wanted to,"
was the confident
reply. "Now you fellers be ready just as soon as it's light to-morrow
mornin', an' we'll start."

"Then you'll have to come back alone," and Joe began to fear that they
were accepting too much from this new acquaintance, who must belong to
some important family in the city since he was the owner of such a
beautiful craft.

"Well, I hain't sure but I shall stay in New York after I get there,
an' if I do I'll give
you fellows lots of sails in the boat. You see I'm-"