"It's our first offence," said Mr. Daddles.

"That's what I thought," said the stranger heartily, "but I didn't
like to say so,--for fear of hurting your feelings. Cheer up,--
you'll improve as time goes on."

"Have you been here long?" I asked.

"Came in yesterday,--or day before yesterday, rather. We were in
that black sloop,--perhaps you noticed her? You were in the white
cat-boat, weren't you? We saw you when you came in."

"Did you see her go out?"

We all asked this eagerly.

"No,--has she gone out? We were on board our boat all the
afternoon,--down in the cabin, I guess. Wish I'd stayed there. But
we had the tent,--one of the fellows likes to sleep on shore, and
so we all stayed. Say, this is a little bit of Russia, isn't it?
Eb could give the Czar points. This is a new police-station, and
he thought it ought not get rusty."

"Find your quarters comfortable over there?" asked Mr. Daddles
across the corridor.

"Great!" said Ed Mason. He had already taken off his coat, rolled
it up for a pillow, and lain down on one of the wooden benches in
our cell. I was preparing to do the same. Upstairs we heard the
front door slam, as Justin, and the last of the "possy," left the