“If that don’t fix things, then the Life-Saving Service is run under different rules and regulations than I’ve always reckoned on,” Joe Cushing said in a tone of satisfaction. “I allow we can count on having Benny and Fluff with us so long as we pay their bills, and I’m going to make first-class surf men out of them both, or know the reason why.” CHAPTER IV. ON PATROL. When Benny and Fluff came down-stairs next morning after the meeting of the “board of guardians,” all the crew were in the mess-room, and Keeper Downey greeted the lad right cheerily as he said: “It stands to reason, Benny, that you have been troubled more or less about what’s to become of you, seein’ ’s you’ve got no relatives that you know about, an’ no friends, except it may be them as are before you, this side of India. You must have something to eat, and enough clothin’ to keep the frost out, to say nothing of providin’ a home for the dog.” Benny looked about him piteously. This broaching the subject which had been present in his mind almost constantly since he realized his desolate condition, seemed much like the preface of some disagreeable communication. “Have you got to send us away right off, Mr. Downey?” he asked, pressing Fluff’s pink nose against his cheek as if the contact gave him courage. “I don’t reckon that’s got to be done, lad; but you must understand that something ought to be settled within a reasonably short time, and chiefly for your own good. It’s not benefiting a boy to allow him to remain idle----” “But I’m willing to work, Mr. Downey, and I was thinking when we came down-stairs that I’d ask you if there wasn’t some town near by where I might find a job.” “I allow the town’s there, Benny, but whether a lad of your size and build could get a job big enough to pay for the little he and the dog would eat is another question. If it so be you was minded to stay in the country, say out on the sea-shore, I shouldn’t be surprised if a piece of work could be scared up that would fix things smooth, so far as it comes to board and lodging. I ain’t allowin’ there’d be very much more than that in it, ’cause you see, Benny, my lad, it don’t stand to reason you’re worth any more.” “I’d do anything, Mr. Downey, anything that would pay for our living, and I’m sure Fluff wouldn’t mind it so very much if he didn’t get sugar when he knew I couldn’t earn any money to buy it with.” “Well, my son, this ’ere job I’ve got in my eye would likely pay enough so that you could afford to keep Fluff C. Foster in sugar. Leastways, I reckon it wouldn’t take much bargaining to bring it around that way.” “When shall I go to work?” “It ain’t well to lose any time, so me and my mates have agreed that you’d better start right in this morning as soon as you’ve had breakfast.”