"Well, Oscar's one of the sort who will do anything just as long as he thinks he doesn't have to," replied Joe. "If we could get him to come along and tell him that he--um--simply must _not_ ask to do the cooking, why--there you are!" "Merely a matter of diplomacy," laughed Steve. "Well, we might have Brazier instead of Hanford--or Neil." "Why not have them all if the boat will hold six?" asked Joe. "Seems to me the more we have the less each of us will have to do. I mean," he continued above the laughter, "that--um--a division of labour--" "We get you," said Perry. "But, say, I wish you'd stop talking about it, fellows. I'm going to be disappointed when I wake up and find it's only a bright and gaudy dream." "It isn't a dream," answered Steve, "unless you say so. I'll go, and I'll guarantee to get the _Cockatoo_ without expense other than the cost of running her. If you and Joe can get your folks to let you come, and we can get hold of, say, two other decent chaps to fill the crew, why, we'll do it!" "Do you honestly mean it?" demanded Perry incredulously. "Gee, I'll get permission if I have to--to go without it!" "How about you, Joe?" "Um--I guess I could manage it. How long would we be gone?" "A month. Two, if you like. Start the first of July, or as soon after as possible, and get back in August." "How much would it cost us?" inquired Perry. "I'm not a millionaire like you chaps." "Wouldn't want to say offhand. We'd have to figure that. That's another reason for filling the boat up, though. The more we have the less everyone's share of the expense will be." "Let's have the whole six, then, for money's scarce in my family these days. Let's make it a club, fellows. The Club of Six, or something of that sort. It sounds fine!" "Take in another fellow and call it The Lucky Seven," suggested Joe. "We might not be lucky, though," laughed Steve. "I'll tell you a better name." "Shoot!" "The Adventure Club." CHAPTER II THE CLUB GROWS And that is the way in which it happened. It began in fun and ended quite seriously. They sat up in Number 17 Sumner until long after bedtime that night, figuring the cost of the expedition, planning the cruise, even listing supplies. The more they talked about it the more their enthusiasm grew. Perry was for having Steve send a night message then and there to his father asking for the boat, but Steve preferred to wait until he reached home and make the request by word of mouth.