“Well, if she wots that that’s a joke,” muttered Dick, “she’s certainly a pretty good wotter.” “Who’s got a stamp?” asked Chub as he finished scrawling the address on the envelop. “Thanks. What a very nasty tasting one! I wonder why the government doesn’t flavor its stamps better. It might turn them out in different flavors, you know; peppermint, vanilla, wintergreen, chocolate--” “Almond,” suggested Roy. “And then when you went to the post-office you could say: ‘I’d like ten twos, please; peppermint, if you have it.’” “You’re an awful idiot,” laughed Dick. “Give me the letter and I’ll post it on the way to the hotel. Now, let’s talk about what we’ll have to buy. Let’s figure up and see what it’ll cost us.” “Go ahead,” said Chub readily. “I’ve got a pencil.” “First of all, then, we’ll need a lot of provisions.” “Unless we can persuade Chub to stay behind,” suggested Roy. “Who thought of this scheme?” asked Chub indignantly. “I guess if any one stays behind it won’t be Chub. And likewise and moreover if Chub doesn’t have enough to eat he will mutiny.” “Then you’ll have to put yourself in irons,” said Dick, “if you’re in command.” “I never thought of that!” Chub bit the end of the pencil and frowned. “Maybe I’d rather be the crew than the captain. If you’re captain you can’t mutiny, and I’ve always wanted to mutiny. Say, wouldn’t it be great if we could be pirates? We could put up that skull-and-cross-bones flag and board one of the Day Line steamboats. Think of the sport we could have! We’d swipe all the grub on board of her and make the officers walk the plank! Then--then we’d scuttle her!” “How do you scuttle a boat?” asked Dick curiously. Chub for a moment was at a loss, and glanced doubtfully at Roy. But finding no assistance there he plunged bravely. “Well, you first get a scuttle, just an ordinary scuttle, you know; and I think you have to have a coal-shovel, too, but I’m not quite certain about that. Armed with the scuttle you descend to the--the cellar of the ship--” “You bore holes in it,” said Roy contemptuously. “Thunder! I’m not going to ship under a captain who doesn’t know the rudiments of navigation.” “I’m not talking navigation,” said Chub with dignity. “I’m talking piracy. Piracy is a much more advanced study. Anybody can navigate, but good pirates are few and far between, these days.” “Oh, come on and talk sense,” begged Dick. “How much will it cost us for grub?” “Well, let me see,” responded Chub, turning to his paper. “I suppose about two cases of eggs--But, look here, we haven’t decided how long we’re going to cruise.” “A month,” said Roy. “Two months,” said Dick. “Anyway, we can’t buy enough eggs at the start to last us all the time. Eggs should be fresh.” “We’ll get eggs and vegetables as we go along,” said Roy. “What we have to have to start with are staples.” “Mighty hard eating,” murmured Chub. “Why not use plain nails?” This was treated by the others with contemptuous silence.