Then he stretched himself on the narrow side-deck and dangled his feet in the cool salt water.
"Now that 's freedom," thought the boys who watched him.

Besides, those long sea-boots, reaching to the hips and buckled to the leather strap about the waist, held a strange and wonderful fascination for them.

They did not know that 'Frisco Kid did not possess such things as shoes--that the boots were an old pair of Pete Le Maire's and were three sizes too large for him.

Nor could they guess how uncomfortable they were to wear on a hot summer day.
The cause of 'Frisco Kid's discontent was those very boys who sat on the string-piece and admired him; but his disgust was the result of quite another event.

The _Dazzler_ was short one in its crew, and he had to do more work than was justly his share.