The Rover Roys on the Ocean | Page 5

and landed them at an old dock over which hung the sign: "Daniel
Haskett, Boat Builder and Repairer jobs Promptly Attended to --
Charges Small."

Dan Haskett proved to be an elderly man, who was somewhat deaf, and
it took the boys some time to make him understand the situation.
"We've had a smash-up," began Dick.
"Cash up?" said the deaf man. "Cash UP to what?"
"We've had a smash-up!" repeated the boy in a louder tone. "We want
our boat mended."
"What's ended?" asked the boat builder. "Your boat?"
"Almost ended," roared Tom. "We-want you-to-fix-up-our-boat," he
yelled.
"Oh, all right. Where is she?"
Dick pointed with his finger, and at once the boat builder understood.
"There's a hole in her side," bawled the boy. "We want it patched up."
"All right; I can do that."
"Can we have her by tomorrow?"
"How's that?" And Dan Haskett placed his hand to his ear.
"Can-we-have-her-by-tomorrow?" yelled Dick.
"I guess so. I'll have to see how badly she is damaged first."
Haskett got out a small boat of his own and, taking Dick with him,
rowed over to the wreck. He pronounced the injury small and said the
boys could have their boat by noon the next day. The charges would be
twelve or fifteen dollars.
"We'll be getting off cheaper than I thought," said Tom, on Dick's
return. "Ought to come out of Mumps' pocket."
"That's so," added Sam. "By the way, I wonder what he meant by

saying we were dogging him?"
"I can't say," replied Dick. "But I've been thinking that he can't be up to
any good, or he wouldn't be so suspicious."
"Just exactly my idea!" burst out Tom. "Do you know what I half
imagine?"
"Well? "
"That Mumps is cruising around waiting for Dan Baxter to join him."
"But Baxter went to Chicago."
"He won't stay there -- not as long as his father is in the East. He will
be back before long, if he isn't back already."
"But he took that money belonging to hi! father."
"What of that? His father can't do anything against him, for he himself
is worse than his son, as we all know. Besides, his father is most likely
still in the hospital."
"If you young gentlemen want to sail around until tomorrow noon, I
can take you out in one of my boats," remarked Martin Harris. "I've got
a first-class yacht, the Searchlight, that I can let you have reasonably."
"Thanks, but I would just as lief stay on shore until our boat is
mended," answered Dick. "But I want to pay you for what you did for
us," he added.
"Oh, that's all right."
But the boys thought otherwise, and in the end gave Martin Harris two
dollars, with which the boatman was highly pleased.
"Remember, I saw that accident," he said, on parting. "I can prove it
was the Falcon's fault."

"We'll remember that," answered Dick.
From time to time they had watched the Falcon's course until the yacht
had disappeared down the river.
After a short debate the brothers decided to put up at a hotel which
stood not far away, on a high cliff overlooking the noble Hudson.
"We've been on the water for nearly two weeks now," said Dick, "and
to sleep in a real bed will be something of a novelty."
As it was in the height of the summer season the hotel was crowded;
but some guests were just departing, and they managed to get a fairly
good room on the second floor. This had a double bed, and a cot was
added, to accommodate Sam; Dick and Tom sleeping together, as
usual.
It was supper time when the boys arrived, and as soon as they had
registered and washed up and combed their hair, they descended to the
spacious dining room, where fully a score of tables were set.
"This way, please," said the head waiter, and showed them to a table at
one side, overlooking one of the wide verandas of the hotel.
"I'm as hungry as a bear!" exclaimed Tom. "You can't serve us any too
quick," he added, to the waiter who came up to take their orders.
"Yes, sah, do the best I can, sah," grinned the colored man. "What kind
of soup, please?"
"I'll have ox-tail -- " began Tom, when he happened to glance out of the
window. As his gaze fell upon a man sitting in an easy chair on the
veranda he uttered a low whistle. "By jinks, boys, look! Josiah Crabtree,
as sure as you're born!" he whispered.
CHAPTER III
JOSIAH CRABTREE FREES HIS MIND

Then individual to whom Tom referred had been a former master at
Putnam Hall, but his disagreeable ways had led to his dismissal by
Captain Putnam.
Josiah Crabtree was