e and stopped. He was instantly reassured, however, when i

mself," said one of the men, he

r, proudly. "An' I ain't a-goin' ter put nothin' on he

s' bland face

en he bought his scow, Dare," he said

es turned fond

oy like my Skippy ter fetch u

g out of trouble for. But see that you keep him in mind when you'r

ortune. A couple grand a year'll start Skippy an' git him educated.

he smiling Skippy, then casua

Baxter, eh?

name when she was a girl. She died when Skippy w

r nodded sym

racts lined u

in't bad fer a start. I'm ter haul

e'll look her over and pass

green launch chugged off to circle the barge. It wa

s. "It's somethin' ter be able ter face guys like the

Skippy's tongue seemed not

y reg'lars in this harbor that the inspector ain't go

midway of the Minnie M. Baxter and Inspector Jones and his two subordinates held an inaudible conference. Then for a time

thinks," said Toby simply. "All I know uv boats is this here kic

said Skippy eagerly. "Now they'll come back an

y waited as the launch chugge

battle-axe, hey, Inspect

, Dare," said the inspector solemn

mouth seemed to tig

mean, In

did you pa

trembled a little and he search

er from?" the in

lint," Toby answered

o spring it on you, Dare, but you've paid three h

at and a strange look came

ean this here barge

ped you. You should have had somebody look her over before you bought her-somebody that knew an up-and-coming barge from

went suddenly white and he made a funn

arsely, "can't I have 'er

Jones shoo

u paid for the old hulk, Dare; mor

truth," Toby said, choking on his words. "E

leaned toward th

osiah Flint's got a spark of human feeling he'll make good. Perhaps he didn'

m, he knows every craft he owns like a book. Now that I think uv it, I know he knew what he was sellin' me! He knew I was dumb about them things an' he took advantage u

y and he looked appeali

an't use the Minnie M

d his face from the

int personally, Dare," said he, "sue

oking straight across the river. "He's too rich ter

ned his men to start

fter Flint, Toby, is to sue him. You'd certainly not get anywhere with him the way you feel now. Meanwhile

or a long time his misty eyes were fastened on the glistening bubbles da

mered, "can't we go

ter the Basin where Jones told us to go with the Minnie M. Baxter." He laugh

ically. "It sounds like you mean something t

t fit fer nothin' but ter be put high an' dry in Brown's Basin along with half a hunderd other rotten scows. It'

gain, huh?" Skippy asked sadly. "They just sorta stay there till t

. "The Minnie M. Baxter's been condemned an' you a