What makes him so mean, I wonder ?" "Just born that way, I guess," rejoined the stout youth; "and as for the Flying Fish saving him, if it hadn't been for a certain Corporal Crawford, he--" "Here, stow that," protested Merritt, coloring up.

"I heard enough of that yesterday afternoon." As the boys had surmised, Sam's father was not at all pleased when he learned that his son wanted fifty dollars.

In fact, he refused point blank to let him have it at all.
"That boat of yours has cost enough already, and I'm not going to spend any more on it," he said angrily, as he turned to his work.
"But I can't get the hydroplane back if I don't pay it," urged Sam.
"I've seen the captain of the Dolphin, and he refuses absolutely to let me have her unless I pay him for his trouble in towing her in." "I can't help that," snapped the elder Redding.

"What have I got to do with your boat?
Look here!" he exclaimed, turning angrily and producing a small memorandum book from his pocket and rapidly turning the leaves.

"Do you know how much I've given you in the last two months ?" "N-n-no," stammered Sam, looking very much embarrassed, and shuffling about from one foot to the other.
"Then I'll tell you, young man; it's exactly--let me see--ten, twenty, five, three, fifteen and eight.