"But looky here," burst out the impatient Steve, after a while, "we're
wasting time, you know. Some of us might as well be up the river gathering
a few pecks of mussels."

"T-t-that's so," declared Toby. "And it's up to Max to s-s-say who goes out
f-f-first."

"Suppose, then, Steve and myself lead off, and make the first try," Max
suggested. He had a double object in nominating Steve as his working
partner on this occasion. In the first place he knew the impatient nature
of the fiery lad, and that his heart was more set upon the finding of other
pearls like unto the lost one than any of the others.

This was not all.

Having Steve in his company for a couple of hours would give Max a good
chance to study the other closely.

Perhaps, too, if Steve were really playing a practical joke on his comrades
he might, without meaning to do so, let a hint drop that would serve to
betray the object he had in view.

"Here, don't forget the bags we fetched along to carry the mussels in,"
said Bandy-legs.

"And I h-h-hope I g-g-get a chance to make a t-t-try this afternoon,"
remarked Toby, not a little disappointed because he had been passed over
when Max selected the one to accompany him on the first hunting expedition.