"Fine!" exclaimed Joe. "Harry and his brother have some sort of a motor-boat. He told me so today. That's a bully idea, Phil! With twelve of us we could divide up between the two boats--" "How many will Corwin's boat hold?" asked Neil. "I don't know. I'll see him and find out. But it ought to be big enough to hold four, anyway. There are seven of us now, and Wink and Harry and his brother Tom would make ten, and we could easily pick out two more." "Let's make the membership thirteen," said Perry. "Thirteen!" echoed Han. "Gee, that's unlucky!" "Rot! Why, you've got thirteen letters in your name. George Hanford." Perry counted on his fingers. "This is the Adventure Club, isn't it? Well, starting out with thirteen members is an adventure right at the start!" "Sure!" agreed Ossie. "Let's take a chance. It's only a silly what-do-you-call-it anyway." "Meaning superstition?" asked Steve. "Well, I'm agreeable. Who else do we want? Bert Alley asked to join, and so did George Browne." "And Casper Temple," added Joe. "And they're all good fellows. But I want it distinctly understood that I'm going on the _Cockatoo_." "Me too!" exclaimed Perry. "All of us fellows must go on the _Cockatoo_. We were the first." "But suppose Corwin's boat won't hold five?" said Han. "We can squeeze eight into the _Cockatoo_, if we have to," said Steve. "Joe, you cut along and find Corwin and bring him up here. We might as well settle the thing now." "All right, but don't settle about the cruise while I'm gone," answered Joe. "I'll have him here in ten minutes." When the meeting adjourned that evening the club had added six new members and enlarged its fleet by the addition of the cabin-cruiser, _Follow Me_. It was just half-past ten when Joe and Steve produced the last of their supply of ginger-ale from under the window-seat and, utilising glasses, tooth-mugs and pewter trophies, the members present drank success to the Adventure Club. CHAPTER III CAST OFF!