"Guess I have; glad I did," chuckled the thick-skinned Peter. "I heard you say you were short of funds and something about a partner. What's the matter with me? I suppose you know my aunt is rich and we're some folks here. We live up on the Terrace-most fashionable part of the town.

Why, if I had an interest in your show I could fill your place with complimentaries to the real people of Seaside Park. They'd advertise you, my friends would, till there'd be nothing but standing room left."

"Think so?" observed Randy, drily.

"Know it. I'm my aunt's heir, you know, and she's got scads of money.

She's been drawing the tight rein on me lately. I smashed an automobile last week and it cost her over four hundred dollars, and she's holding me pretty close on the money question. But in business, she'd stake me for anything I wanted. Says she wants to see me get into something."

"You got into the water when the motor boat blew up, all right,"

remarked Pep.

"Hey?" spoke Peter, struggling over the suggestion presented. "Oh, you mean a joke? Ha! ha! yes, indeed. Business, though, now," and Peter tried to look shrewd and important.

"We have not yet decided what we are going to do," said Frank. "As you have overheard, we need a little more capital than what we actually have. I will remember your kind offer, and if we cannot figure it out as we hope I may speak to you on the subject later."

"I wish you would come right up to the house now and tell my Aunt Susie all about it," pressed Peter, urgently.

"I couldn't think of it," answered Frank. "No, you leave matters just as I suggest and we will see what may come of it."

"Say, Frank," whispered Pep, on fire with excitement, "you don't mean to think of encouraging this noodle; do you?"

"I want to get rid of him," answered Frank, and all hands were relieved to see the persistent Peter rise from his seat.

"Oh, say," he suddenly exclaimed-"I came for something, that's so. My aunt wants to see you, all three of you. Miss Porter gave her your names and addresses and she wouldn't rest until I had come down here. She wants you all to come to dinner to-morrow evening and she won't take no for an answer."

"Why, we may not be here then," said Frank.

"Oh, you must come," declared Peter, "now I have a chance to go in with you. I couldn't think of your not seeing her. Look here," and Peter winked and tried to look sly-"Aunt Susie is no tightwad. She is the most generous woman in the world. She's minded to give you fellows a fine meal and treat you like princes. She considers that you saved her life and she can't do too much for you. Say, on the quiet, I'll bet she makes you a present of fifty dollars apiece."

"What for?" demanded Frank.

"For getting to that burning boat and saving all hands, of course. Why, I wouldn't take the risk you did of being blown up for a thousand dollars."

"No, I don't think you would," announced Pep, bluntly.

"I'll tell you," went on their guest-"if you'll give me a tip on the side I'll work up Aunt Susie to a hundred dollars apiece. There, I know I can do it."

Frank bit his lip and tried to keep from losing his temper with this mean-spirited cad. Then he said with quiet dignity:

"I think you had better go, Mr. Carrington, and I shall expect you to tell your aunt that we were only too glad to do a trifling service for her. Please inform her, also, that I am quite certain we shall be too busy to accept her kind invitation for to-morrow evening; in fact, we may leave Seaside Park for our home at Fairlands early in the morning."

Dauntless Peter! you could not squelch that shallow nerve of his. In a trice he shouted out:

"Why! do you live at Fairlands?"

"Yes," nodded Frank, wondering what was coming next from this extraordinary youth.

"Then you know Greg Grayson?"

"Oh, yes," admitted Randy.

"I should think we did!" observed Pep, with a wry grimace.

"Why, then, we're regular friends," insisted Peter, acting as if he was about to embrace all hands. "He was my roommate at school. We were like twin brothers."

"Maybe that's the reason!" muttered Pep.

"His folks are big guns in Fairlands, just as we are here. Say, if you know Greg Grayson, that settles it. You just ask him if I ain't all right-up to snuff and all that-and if I wouldn't make a fine partner."

Frank managed to usher their persistent visitor from the room, all the way down the corridor the latter insisting that he was going to "put the proposition up to Aunt Susie" forthwith, and that they would hear from him on the morrow.

"Frank," exclaimed Pep, "it seems good to get rid of that fellow."

"A fine partner he'd make," observed Randy, with a snort.

"I am dreadfully sorry he overheard our plans," spoke Frank. "Of course it will soon be generally known if we decide to locate here; but this Peter may talk a lot of rubbish that might hurt us or start somebody else on our idea."

"And to think of his knowing Greg Grayson, and playing him off on us as a recommendation!" cried Pep.

"They make a good pair," added Randy. "Why, I'd give up the whole business before I would have either of them connected with our plans in any way."

"I wouldn't wonder if Mr. Jolly might happen along if we stay here a day or two longer," remarked Frank. "You know he was the first to suggest a look at Seaside Park with a view to business."

"That's so," said Randy. "Did you write to him, Frank?"

"Yes. You know when we closed up at Fairlands he said he would take a day or two visiting some relatives and looking over the movies business in the city."

"Ben Jolly told me he wasn't going to stay idle all summer. Nor let us do it, either," observed Pep. "He'll have something fresh to tell us when we see him."

"Well, when we left Fairlands I sent him a few lines telling him that we were going to look over the field here," said Frank. "That is why I think he may drop in on us."

"I wish he would," declared Randy. "Mr. Jolly knows so much about the business. What's the programme for to-morrow, Frank?"

"Why, I thought we would find out what it will cost us to move our traps here from Fairlands, the amount of the license fee for the show, the cost of a lot of electric wiring and current we will need if we locate at Seaside Park, how much it will cost us to live, and a lot of such details."

The boys had a wonderfully refreshing sleep in that high room pervaded with cool ocean breezes, and got up fully an hour later than they had planned. After Peter Carrington had left them the evening before they had strolled down the beach about nine o'clock to get an idea of the evening crowds. This filled them more than ever with ardor as to their prospective business undertaking.

"I say," Randy had observed, "don't you see, Frank, there aren't enough amus.e.m.e.nts to go around?"

"Yes," Frank had a.s.sented, "the crowds seem just in trim for some lively entertainment."

The chums dispatched a substantial breakfast at the restaurant. Then they started out on their second day's investigation of conditions and prospects at Seaside Park.

Frank made it a point to interview several owners of concessions along the beach. Those with whom he talked had attractions vastly inferior to the one the chums designed to operate, but the boys picked up many a suggestion and useful hint. It was shortly before noon when they sat down to rest under a tree in that part of the town given over to permanent residences and summer cottages. They began talking over the ever-present theme of their photo playhouse when there was an interruption.

Down the street there strolled leisurely a young man who made it a point to halt whenever he got in front of a house. There he would linger and begin a series of whistling exploits that made the air vibrate with the most ravishing melody.

"Say, just listen to that!" exclaimed Pep, in a pleased tone.