"Waving a rag, eh?" he said thoughtfully. "Well, I might take a
little run up there, though I wasn't calculating to go so far
north this morning.

"May we go? Please, may we go?" pleaded Bobby.

"Ask your mother--or no, give me the glasses, and I'll have a
squint at this waving rag," answered the captain. "Maybe it won't
be anything you'll want to see."

He took the glasses from Meg and strode off to the Harley shack,
followed by the children, who were now almost beside themselves
with excitement.

Captain Jenks took a long look toward Kidd's Island, then
whistled.

"Well, I never!" he said softly, as though speaking to himself.

"What is it?" asked Bobby. "May we go?"

"I guess it will be all right, Son," replied the captain kindly.
"Run ask your mother, and if she is willing, I'll take you all."

"Mother isn't at home," explained Bobby. "She and Daddy rowed to
Greenpier. She would say yes, I know she would."

"Well--all right!" decided Captain Jenks. "I'll take you to Kidd's
Island and drop you here at the wharf on the way back. I think
we're going to be what the papers call a rescuing party."