"But you're not going really to swim out to the cutter now, Dick, eh ?" "No, no, Master Bob," cried Dick, his grin expanding into a laugh.

"I were only a-joking.

There's a waterman just shoving down his wherry as will put us off to her.

Hi, ahoy, there!" "Hi, hullo!" also shouted out Bob; but the two only succeeded in ultimately attracting the attention of old Barney the boatman, who was rather deaf, and required a deal of hallooing before noticing any one, by setting on Rover with a "Hi, catch him, sir!" This rather exasperated old Barney at first.

However, after some violent explanations they were grudgingly given a passage out to the anchored yacht, Barney grumbling at doing it for nothing! Rover was not included in the bargain; for, he disdained adventuring his valuable person in a small row-boat, no inducement being ever strong enough to persuade him so to do.