The Adventure Club Afloat

ement was a good mile and three-quarters away. None of the seven felt sufficiently ambitious to put out for shore in that smother of mist. They managed to pass the time without much t

omelet decided to settle the question then and there. By the time the two omelets were prepared the whist players were

ng that Perry's omelet is bad. If he had

now a decent omelet when you see it. Look how lig

that it sort of faded away before you could taste it.

here were just as many eggs in mine as there were in his.

t the poor little eggs. I'm surprised at you, Per

a long shot! Someone will have to get some

"Mean to say you went and used them

ts," said Ossie. "One egg apiece

every morning. If I don't have two

yard-arm. Say, how long before we're going to have something to e

umbled the steward. "It's only five, and we don't have sup

orget the pangs of hunger. Move yo

you duffer! Go on ba

e, stretching himself out in spite of Phi

settled down to pass the evening in whatever way seemed best. But bedtime came early tonight and, by half-past nine, with the sound of a distant siren comi

it. Han managed to subsist on one egg, in spite of gloomy predictions, but after breakfast he and Perry decided to paddle ashore and find a place where they could purchase more. They tried to add to the party, but n

the location of the boat, and then followed the lane. The fog was amber-hued now and the morning was fast losing its chill. Perry broke into song and Han into a tune

if we couldn't find the d

we'd have to do is find the beach and keep along until we barked our ski

uses, but they saw none, and the only incident occurred when the sound of wheels came to them from the highway ahead and, presently, a queer, old-fashioned two-wheeled chaise drawn by a piebald, drooping-eared horse passed slowly from the mist ahead to th

d sounded as if it would fall to pieces before it got to-to wherever it's

of the wonderf

lt in such a

ndred years

hat look funny alongsid

red the other. "Say, how far do we have to walk?

e encouraging sound of a cow mooing reached them the next minute. "That must be the one we heard yesterday

erry, staring into the fog, "maybe th

t as likely to walk into

d its mind about lifting, for the yellow tinge had gone and the world was once more grey and chill. They donned their coats again and, carrying their precious burdens, trudged on. Occasionally a puff of air came off the sound and the fog blew in trailing wreaths before them. When

five cents, took a long breath and, viewing the encompassing fog, exclaimed melo

ghed Han. "Say, where is that lane we c

on and let's try dead reckoning. The beach i

have found it, whi

s head. "Give it up!" he said at last. "You might go on

sen a place prettily bedecked with poison-ivy. "That does for me," said Han gloomily. "I'll have a f

you," said Perry chee

I'll be all broken out tomorrow! And it's perfectly beastly, too. Yo

c but failing because he caught his foot in a bra

ood thing. Salt water is fine to bathe in when you hav

h then and gazed hopelessly about them as they crossed the softer s

ohol I might backe

l? Back

ivy p

is watch and whistled surprisedly. "Only a quarter to ten, Han! We couldn't have walked

ed Han. "They say that if you can bathe the places in

out it, Han! You'll worry yourself to death over th

ther resentfully. "It always does

me. We've got to find the

on't think it

ay, and if you find it, s

time there was no reply however, and Perry muttered impatiently and found a more comfortable position. When some five minutes more had passed he got to his feet and yelled at the top of his lungs. "Get a move on, Han! The milk's getting sour and I'm getting cold!" he shouted. An answering cry came from closer by,

know whether or not he was susceptible, but it seemed to him that there was a distinct itching sensation on his back. He squirmed uncomfortably. Then a prickly feeling on his left wrist set him to rubbing it. He examined the skin and, sure enough, it was quite red! He had it, too! You had blisters all over you, Han had said. Perry looked for blisters but found none. Still, he reflected miserably, it was probably t

Han!" he shouted. "You wait

r scurvilly and the second was that he hadn't more than the haziest notion where the Adventurer lay! But, having embarked, he kept on. Probably ten or fifteen minutes wou

ur to abate the prickling sensation in back or shoulders. It seemed to him now that he was infected from head to

ted. But no answering hail reached him. He lifted his voice ag

and, somewhat to Perry's surprise, it came from almos

d rowed in the direction of the voice. "I suppose," he thought, "I rowed in a circle. I always did row harder with

n!" he yell

k of the boat, and: "Come ahead!" called a

l from behind. "All right," he muttered. "Why didn't you say so before?" He swung the dingey around a second time and rowed on a new course. "Wonder who the other chap

t over his shoulder. "And watch where you're g