wa'n't disturbed.]

Some chat too! I don't know when we've had a chance for any such a
good long talk as that, and we both seemed to have a lot of
conversation stored up. Then we chucked pebbles into the water, and
Vee pulls some seaweed and decorates my round hat. You know? It's
easy killin' time when you're paired off right. And the first thing we
knows the fog begins to lighten and the sun almost breaks through. We
hurries back to where Mabel's just rousin' from a doze.

"Well?" says she.

"It's a tiny little island we're on," says Vee.

"Nice little island, though," says I.

"Hey!" sings out Payne, pokin' his head up over the rocks. "I've been
calling and calling."

"We've been explorin'," says I. "Got her fixed yet?"

"Hang it, no!" growls Payne, scrubbin' cotton waste over his forehead.
"And the fog's beginning to lift. Why, there's the shore,
and--and--well, what do you think of that? We're on Grampus Ledges,
not a mile from home!"

Sure enough, there was Roarin' Rocks just showin' up.

"Now if I could only start this confounded engine!" says he, starin'
down at it puzzled.