"Maybe you could use three," suggested Fenn, with a smile.

"Sure I could," spoke the captain. "That's it!" he added quickly. "You and your three chums! Why not? You four could come along, and, if necessary, you could all dust coal. We use a lot of it. Come on now, here's a proposal for you," and the captain smiled good naturedly. "You four boys come along and make the trip to Duluth with me."

"Would it--would it cost much?" asked Fenn, seeing a chance of carrying out the cruise he had planned.

"Not a cent. I tell you I'll use you boys in more ways than one. Dusting the coal is only a small matter. There is the smoke stack to be scrubbed, the dishes to be hand painted and the windows to be taken out and put in again."

"Do you mean it?" asked Fenn. "I mean, do you really want us on this trip, Captain Wiggs?"

"Of course I do. I sail in three days, to be gone a month or more. If you boys want to have a good vacation come along. Get the permission of your folks and let me know to-night."

"I will!" exclaimed Fenn, his brain whirling with the suddenness of it all. "I'll tell the other boys right away," and, not even pausing to thank the captain for the lemonade, he hurried up the companion ladder, out on the deck of the _Modoc_ and, jumping to the dock, ran up the street as fast as he could go.

CHAPTER VI

IN PERIL

"Here's the stuff from the store, mom!" exclaimed Fenn, as he rushed into the house.

"What's the matter?" asked his mother anxiously. "Has there been an accident, Fenn?"

"Got to find the boys! Captain Wiggs! _Modoc!_ Going on a cruise! Tell you later!" was what Fenn exclaimed in jerky sentences as he hurried down the side steps and out of the yard.

"Oh, those boys! They get so excited you can't do anything with them!"

exclaimed Mrs. Masterson. "I wonder what they're up to now?"

If she could have seen her son and his chums, whom he met on the street, soon after his hurried exit, she would have been more puzzled than ever.

"Great news! Great!" yelled Fenn, as he caught sight of Frank, Ned and Bart approaching him. "We're going with Captain Wiggs to make a tour of the Great Lakes! Whoop! Hold me down, somebody!"

He grabbed Ned and Bart, each by an arm, and began whirling them around in a good imitation of an Indian war dance.

"Here! Let up!" cried Frank. "What's it all about? Who's killed?"

"n.o.body, you ninny!" shouted Fenn. "We're going on the _Modoc_!"

"Who says so?"

"When?"

"How many of us?"

"Where?"

"Are we all going?"

All Fenn could do was to nod his head vigorously. He was all out of breath. As soon as he could get enough wind to talk, he rapidly explained what Captain Wiggs had said.

"Does he mean we're to work our pa.s.sage?" asked Frank. "I don't know as I care to shovel coal, if that's what he means."

"I guess he was only joking about that part of it," answered Fenn. "I'm going, if I have to scrub the decks. It will be sport."

"That's right," chimed in Bart. "I don't mind working my way for the sake of the trip. When can we go?"

"Let's go down to the wharf and have a talk with him," suggested Ned, and they all agreed this was a wise idea.

A little later they were in the large cabin of the _Modoc_, which, for a freight boat, was well fitted up.

Captain Wiggs repeated the invitation he had given to Fenn. The boys would be welcome to make the trip with him, he said, as long as their parents consented. They would need an outfit of clothing, with rough garments for stormy weather, which might be encountered.

"And we'll do anything we can to help you run the boat," added Bart, who felt that some return ought to be given for the captain's generosity.

"Well," replied the commander, in drawling tones, "I don't expect too much. But if you could manage to keep the door mats clean it would be a great help."

"Door mats--on a ship?" questioned Ned.

"Yes; of course," replied the captain, with an a.s.sumption of dignity.

"You see the salt spray gets all over the deck, and if it's tramped into the cabins it makes the floors dirty. My steward is very particular about clean floors, and I thought that if you could help keep the mats clean, why it would make his work easier, and he wouldn't grumble so much. However, if it's too much trouble, why of course--"

"Oh, we'll do it," hastily agreed Fenn, fearing that the trip might be called off. He did not quite know how to take the captain's remarks, for the commander had not the least suspicion of a smile on his face. After all, thought Fenn, it might be necessary to clean the door mats, and he resolved to do his share of it.

"Well, now that that's settled," went on the commander, as if a load had been taken from his mind, "we'll go into further details."

He then explained to the boys what they would need in the way of clothing and baggage, and he briefly described the trip. The duration of it was a little uncertain as he could not tell how long he would have to wait at Duluth, after unloading, before he could get a cargo to bring back.

"I guess I'll get you home safe in time to begin the fall term of school," he said, "and that ought to answer."

"It will," declared Ned. "It's mighty fine of you to ask us."

"Oh, I guess you'll be worth your salt," commented Captain Wiggs.

"Besides attending to the door mats, I may expect you to look after the scuttle-b.u.t.t, now and again."

Fenn wanted to ask what the scuttle-b.u.t.t was, but as the steward came in just then, to get some orders, the boys decided it was time to leave.

They promised to be on hand the day set for sailing, and then, with their minds full of the happy prospect ahead of them, they went ash.o.r.e.

The parents of the lads offered no objection to their making the cruise in company with Captain Wiggs, who was well known in Darewell. In due time valises and trunks were packed and the four chums, the envy of their less-fortunate school companions, strolled down to the wharf and boarded the _Modoc_.

The steamer was a large one, and had good accommodations for pa.s.sengers, though she seldom carried any. This time, besides the boys, there was only one man, who was making the trip for his health. He was Burton Ackerman, who lived in a small town not far from Darewell.

They found that their staterooms, which were of good size, adjoined one another. They put away their belongings, and then went up on deck. The _Modoc_ had cast off, and was slowly gathering speed as it dropped down the river toward Lake Erie.

"Don't forget the scenery, boys!" called the captain, as he pa.s.sed.

"We won't," answered Ned, with a laugh.