CHAPTER XXI

WHEREIN TOM LOSES HIS TOOTHBRUSH AND DAN TELLS A STORY

The next day, which was Saturday, the seventeenth, dawned clear and cold. It was the first touch of real autumn weather they had had, and when they hurried downstairs the fire in the living room, which had been freshly built, felt very good. Will came down with them. He declared himself “all right,” but he was so uncommunicative and so ill at ease that it was difficult to find out much about him. Mr. Cozzens tried his best to draw him out at breakfast, but his embarrassment was so painful that it seemed kindness to let him alone. After breakfast they went out to the point to look after the sloop, taking the dory with them. The wind was in the north, and bit fingers and noses as it swept across the blue, white-capped bay. They found the sloop where they had left her. The tide was high, and a good sea was still running, but things looked vastly different from what they had the afternoon before. This morning it was hard to believe that there were such things as storms.

Mr. Cozzens and Nelson set out in the dory. They found the sloop two-thirds full of water, and set about pumping her out. Will had told them that they would find a pump in the locker, and they soon had it at work. After they had the water pretty well out they found that several of the planks had sprung, and Mr. Cozzens advised hauling her out on the beach and having her repaired. So they pulled the anchor in, and Nelson rowed back to the beach for Dan and Bob. The latter and Mr. Cozzens took a line from the sloop’s bow and fixed it to the stern of the dory. Then they got into the latter, and tried to pull the sloop off the sand bar, while Dan and Nelson stood in the stern in order to raise the forward part. It was hard work, but at the end of twenty minutes the sloop was afloat again, and half an hour later she was lying on her side well out of water, thanks to the efforts of Prince and all hands. There they left her, after securing her with a couple of cables, and it was decided that Will should return home by train to Greenport and ferry to Sag Harbor. They paid him five dollars, since, as Dan pointed out, they had really benefited by the misadventure, and Will, with muttered thanks and farewell, disappeared in the direction of the station.

A little while later the Four, too, took their departure, thanking Mr. and Mrs. Cozzens heartily for their kindness, and promising to come again to the red cottage if ever they had the opportunity. Mr. Cozzens walked with them as far as the neck, and pointed out their road to them.

“Good-by, boys,” he said. “I’m glad I had the pleasure of meeting you, and I hope it won’t be the last time. Come and see my school some time. Meanwhile, let me hear from you about your friend as soon as you can. Good-by and good luck!”

The nip in the air was conducive to brisk traveling, and when, at noon, they reached Jamesport they had eight miles to their credit. In the afternoon they did still better, and reached Fairhaven, twelve miles distant, tired and hungry and happy, at half-past six. They found letters awaiting them at the post office in the morning. Mr. Speede wrote that, since Dan was really in earnest, he would be glad to do anything in reason for Jerry, “even to the extent,” he wrote, “of becoming custodian and administrator of the FUND!” Tom’s father and Nelson’s also professed themselves eager to help, and Jerry’s life for the next two or three years seemed to be nicely arranged. If only they could find Jerry!

The day was Sunday and, although warmer than yesterday, was still pretty cold. In spite of the fact that by waiting for the post office to open they had delayed their departure until after nine o’clock, they had resolved to make the day’s journey a record one.

“We haven’t done a real day’s work yet,” declared Bob. “We’ve just been loafing along. If we can make Kingston to-night that’ll leave us only about half a day’s tramp to Barrington, and we can get there to-morrow noon. Then we can find Jerry, spend the night there, and go to the steamer landing Tuesday morning.”

“How far is Kingston from here?” asked Dan.

“Not over twenty miles.”

“We can do it, then.”

“Of course we can,” agreed Nelson. “We’re in good shape now.”

“Yes,” answered Dan. “Even Tommy’s shape is better, I think. I’ll bet he’s walked off ten pounds.”

“No, I don’t believe so, Dan,” said Bob. “You see, as soon as Tommy loses any flesh, he gets busy at the table, and puts it right back.”

“Well, come ahead,” said Dan. “Let’s get at it. Where’s that dog got to? You Barry! Where are you, you rascal? Oh, found another bone, have you? My, you’re getting more and more like Tommy every day; eating all the time!”

“Hope you choke,” said Tom in a good-natured growl.

That day’s march was barren of incidents worthy of mention, unless the incident of Tom’s knapsack is worth speaking about. It was after dinner, and they had done some fourteen of the possible twenty miles when there was a cry of disgust from Tom.

“What’s the matter?” asked Dan, turning.

“Mu-mu-mu-matter!” answered Tom. “Mu-mu-matter enough! Lu-lu-lu-look at mu-mu-my knapsack!”

“What have you done to it?” asked Nelson in amazement. “It--it’s empty!”

“No wonder,” said Bob with a smile; “it’s all untied.”

“That’s no way to fix a knapsack,” said Dan soberly. “What have you done with your things?”

“Du-du-du-done with them!” sputtered Tom. “Wh-wh-wh-what do you su-su-suppose I’ve du-du-du-done with them? Eaten th-th-th-them?”

“Well, we know your appetite, Tommy,” said Nelson gently.

“Th-th-they’re su-su-scattered fu-fu-from here to the hotel! Wh-wh-wh-what’ll I du-du-do?”

By this time the others were laughing at the tops of their lungs, and it was several moments before any suggestions came. Tom stared from one to another of them in mingled reproach and indignation. Finally,

“Sit down and wait for them to catch up with you,” Dan suggested.

“Send Barry back for them,” said Bob.

“Whistle,” said Nelson.

But presently they agreed that it was hard luck, and finally calmed Tom’s despair.

“I’ll go back with you a ways,” Nelson volunteered, “and the others can go on if they want to.”

“We’ll wait awhile,” said Bob, “and then if you don’t show up we’ll walk ahead slowly, and give you a chance to catch up with us.”

Luckily they found most of the missing articles within a mile and a half. Tom’s toothbrush and a pair of stockings, however, were not to be seen.

“Let ’em go,” said Tom. “I’ll get a brush at Kingston or Barrington; and it doesn’t matter about the socks because I’ve got plenty more in my trunk. Help me tie this old thing up right, will you?”

The knapsack rearranged, they started back.

They caught up with Bob and Dan two or three miles outside of Kingston, and reached that town just at dusk. Nelson and Tom were inclined to be stuck-up over the fact that they had done three miles more than the others and therefore held the record. But Dan maintained that it didn’t count when you went over the same ground twice. Of course they went to the hotel in which they had put up on the occasion of their previous visit and where Barry had distinguished himself, and of course they received a warm welcome. Barry was in real danger of death from overeating, so attentive was the proprietor. After dinner they told the latter of their further adventures with the thief, and it was plain to be seen that he didn’t approve of their clemency, although he didn’t say so. When bedtime came Dan and Nelson went into the room occupied by Bob and Tom, and stretched themselves out on the bed while the others undressed. After Bob had brushed his teeth he carried his toothbrush over to the bed in a stealthy manner, and placed it under his pillow.

“What the dickens is that for?” asked Dan.

“S-sh!” whispered Bob, finger on lips. “You know Tommy lost his.”

“Huh!” answered Tom amid the laughter. “You needn’t think I’d use yours!”

“That reminds me,” said Dan, with a giggle. “Did you ever hear about the Englishmen on the steamer?”

“Help!” cried Nelson. “Help! Dan’s going to tell a joke.”

“Never mind,” said Bob soothingly; “humor him; laugh if you possibly can.”

“All right; you say when, Bob.”

“Shut up,” said Dan, “and let me tell you. It’s funny. I read it in--in--_Punch_, I think it was.”

“_Punch!_” howled Nelson. “Good night, you fellows; I really must be going.”

But Dan pulled him back to the bed.

“You stay here,” he said. “This joke’s all right if it did come from _Punch_.”

“Let him tell it and get it over with,” advised Tom, between splashes at the washstand.

“Well, there was an Englishman,” began Dan. “No, there were two Englishmen.”

“Make it three, old man,” advised Nelson. “There’s luck in odd numbers.”

“Shut up, you! They were on a steamer, and had the same stateroom.”

“Which had the lower berth?” inquired Tom.

“And they were strangers to each other,” continued the narrator. “Well, one of the Englishmen went down----”

“Which one was it?” asked Bob.

“Went down to his cabin and found the other chap----”

“I know!” cried Tom.

“Well, what is it?” asked Dan indignantly.

“He went down and found the other chap had stolen the berths!”

“Oh, you go to thunder! He found the other chap using his toothbrush.”

“Now!” cried Bob, and he and Nelson proceeded to go into spasms of laughter.

“Best thing _Punch_ ever printed!” gurgled Bob.

“Frightfully funny!” moaned Nelson. “Oh! Oh! I shall die!”

“Imagine--imagine how the--toothbrush felt, Nel!” shrieked Bob.

“Say, will you shut up?” said Dan, pummeling Nelson. “That isn’t all of it. Wait till I tell you. The first Englishman----”

Loud groans interrupted him.

“It isn’t all, Bob,” said Nelson sorrowfully. Bob shook his head.

“Bear up, Nel! Who knows? Maybe he’s forgotten the rest.”

“I know!” interrupted Tom again.

“Know what?” asked Dan.

“The rest of it. The toothbrush was loaded!”

“Loaded, you idiot! How do you mean?”

“Had--had powder in it and----”

“Oh, you fellows make me tired,” said Dan good-naturedly, rolling off the bed. “Come on, Nel.”

Nelson allowed himself to be pulled to the floor, and then found his feet.

“All right, Dan,” he said. “Let’s go. They have no sense of humor here. They’re a stupid lot, anyway. Barry’s the only one who has any sense.”

“Hold on!” cried Tom, as the door was closing. “I want to know which of the two had the lower berth.”

“Find out,” replied Dan disgustedly.

Later, when the lights were out, and Dan and Nelson had composed themselves for slumber, the latter broke the silence.

“Say, Dan!”

“Yep.”

“What was the rest of that story?”

“Will you shut up and let me tell it?” asked Dan suspiciously.

“Honor bright! Go ahead!”

“Well, you see, the first Englishman came down and found the other Englishman using his toothbrush, and----”

“Meaning the toothbrush belonging to the first Englishman?”

“No--yes!” answered Dan. “Of course the first Englishman’s toothbrush, you idiot. I said that, didn’t I?”

There was no answer, and he went on.

“‘I say, my dear fellow,’ said the first Englishman, ‘that’s my toothbrush you have there!’ ‘Really?’ said the second Englishman. ‘I beg your pawdon, old chap! I thought it belonged to the ship’!”

Dan chuckled in the darkness, and waited for Nelson’s laughter.

“I think that’s pretty good, don’t you?” he asked presently.

There was no answer. Nelson was snoring placidly. Dan rolled over and thumped his pillow.

“Idiot!” he muttered.