"Sure it does! A whole lot of difference!" declared Roger. "Just the same, we are having a dandy time, Phil," he added hastily. "The first outing of the Oak Hall Club is a big success." "It sure is!" broke in Shadow Hamilton. "Only I did hope we'd see a whale or some sharks or something like that," he added, regretfully. "I suppose if you saw a shark, Shadow, you'd jump right overboard to interview him, wouldn't you?" queried Ben, and gave a snicker. "Say, speaking of sharks puts me in mind of a story!" cried Shadow. "Once there was a sailor who had traveled all around the world. He met a lady in Boston who wanted him to tell her a shark story. Says the sailor: 'Madam, I've seen sharks in the Atlantic an' the Pacific an' the Indian Oceans, but all of them sharks wasn't a patch to the shark I once met on land.' 'On land!' cried the lady from Boston. 'Do you mean to say that you met a shark on land?' 'I did, Madam,' answered the sailor. 'I met a shark right in New York, and he did me out of every copper I had in my pockets. He was a hotel-keeper who played cards.'" And at this little yarn there was a general smile. "Pretty good for a fish story," was Roger's comment. "Just the same, I don't want to fall in with any sharks whether on land or at sea." "Before we land to-night, I want to settle about this outing we expect to take at Mirror Lake," said Dave. "If you fellows are going along, we'll have to make the necessary arrangements." "Well, you can count on me, Dave," returned Roger, promptly. "I told you at the start that I'd be glad to go with you." "And so will I be glad to go," added Phil. "I've got to find out what my folks want me to do first," said Shadow. He looked curiously at Dave, who was gazing far out to sea. "What are you looking at, Dave?" he asked. "I'm watching that smoke out there," was the answer. "That's only the smoke from some incoming steamer," returned Ben. "I noticed that a few minutes ago." "Maybe it is from a steamer," returned Dave, "but I don't think it is coming from any funnel." "What do you think it is--a fire?" cried Phil. And at these words all the boys on the deck rushed to the rail. "It looks that way to me. Let us get the glasses and find out." "I'll get them!" cried Roger; and lost no time in disappearing into the cabin. A minute later he reappeared with a pair of powerful marine glasses which he handed to Phil. The glasses were quickly adjusted, and the shipowner's son took a hasty look seaward. "It's a small steamer, all right," he announced. "Just as sure as you're born, there's a fire on board." "Fire!" repeated Roger. "If she's on fire we ought to go to the rescue!" exclaimed Dave. CHAPTER II SOMETHING ABOUT THE PAST "What's this I hear about fire?" The question came from a burly, pleasant-faced man, who had just appeared on deck, close to the boys. It was Mr. Lawrence, the owner of the steamer.