“There goes the crooks,” remarked Captain Bannister, “safe in the protection of the kunsterble.”

“Yes,” said I, “they’ll have to hurry back, and get the Professor down under the wharf before the ‘May Queen’ arrives.  She’s due about three o’clock, with a lot more money on board for ’em.”

I was anxious to get the Captain in the right frame of mind toward the twins.  There was no need to worry, however.  His anger vanished when Snider and Eb departed.  Besides, it appeared that he knew how they happened to be on board the “Hoppergrass.”  As soon as he had looked his boat over, he turned to Spook.

“Your father said we’d find you when we found this boat!  But I wasn’t so sure.  I heard about these here burglars, so I thought it couldn’t do any harm to have a gun ready.”

“F-Father!  How’d he know?”

“Well, he could put two and two together when he heard I’d lost her from Mulliken’s Wharf.  Besides he’s seen a feller that saw you off Squid Cove yesterday.”

“C-Captain B-B-Baluster, I wouldn’t s-steal your b-boat again f-for a th-th-th-m-million dollars.  It’s been a t-time of a-a-absolute m-m-misery!”

Then we said good-bye to Sprague, Pete, the Chief, and Simon the duck.  The “White Rabbit” was going to Porpoise Island, and we set out again to Lanesport.

“Mr. Daddles—­” I began,—­but he interrupted me.

“I’ve demonstrated to the satisfaction of everyone on board the ‘White Rabbit’ that that nickname is grossly unjust.  It was given me by someone who thought I walked like a duck.  Simon and I went through our paces—­side by side, and it was voted that there was not the slightest resemblance.  My name is Hendricks,—­Richard Hendricks when I’m up before Eb.  Though—­”

He hesitated an instant and stammered.

“You need not be excessively formal.  My first name is Richard, but my middle name is William, and, as the poet says, the fellers call me Bill.”

Spike—­who was looking after the “White Rabbit”—­turned his head with a snap.

“Billy Hendricks?”

“Yes.”

“The sprinter?”

“Even so!” And Mr. Daddles laughed.

There was a pause, and then Spook said: 

“B-But it said in the p-papers that you were c-coming East in the fall t-t-to take a p-p-post-g-graduate c-course at—­”

“That’s so.  But I wanted to earn a little money too, so I promised Mr. Kidd to come to Big Duck Island and tutor his sons for a month, in Latin and English.  And when I saw him yesterday, he told me I must catch the sons.  This is the first time I have ever tooted.”

Spook fell back on the cabin and kicked.

“And w-we’ve b-been t-trying to g-give you the s-slip!” he moaned.

It took us nearly all the afternoon to reach Lanesport.  When the rain stopped, the wind fell, and we were almost becalmed.  We knocked about on the Bay till a little before five o’clock.