With the completion of the aerial cableway and the clearing of the surface of the rock the Hood Island construction camp became a very busy place. A score or more of men were to be seen on the big rock whenever the waves were not piling up on top of it (as always happened when a storm came in) and the donkey engine that operated the cableway was puffing and snorting from daylight until darkness settled down.

Jack and Ray found that their duties increased with the rush of work also, for besides their tasks in Mr. Warner’s office there were numerous other small jobs about the camp that they could accomplish. But for all that they had plenty of time on their hands to roam about the rocky shores of the island, or take short trips in the dory that belonged to Captain Eli and was moored down off the sandy beach near the whaleboats. The boys made[108] frequent trips to Cobra Head, also traveling by way of the aerial cable of course. Indeed, Jack and Big O’Brien were the first to ride down to the rock, on a section of stone that was conveyed to the lighthouse site. This was more or less of a perilous trip and Big O’Brien insisted on accompanying the lad when he heard that he was going.

But with all these possibilities for a good time Ray seemed to become less interested in the construction work as the days went on. In truth, he developed a certain melancholy air which, after a time, became very noticeable. This, of course, puzzled Jack, as it did the engineer and the others of the camp who had become friendly with him. More than once Jack sought to gain his confidence and have him tell his troubles, but the boy always appeared to cheer up for the time and assure the youth from Vermont that he had not a single trouble in the world. Jack knew well that this was not true, however, and to add to the mystery of it all, Ray frequently strayed away from the camp in the evening or when he had no work to do and went wandering down along the rocky shore of the island until he came to a[109] secluded spot where he would sit and brood over his troubles for hours at a time.

It was after one of these mysterious disappearances one afternoon that Jack went in search of his companion, quite determined to get at the bottom of all that was upsetting his peace of mind. The lad from Drueryville had seen Ray steal away and go down the path that led to the little beach near where the whaleboats were moored. He watched him as long as he could, but when he saw Ray walk the entire length of the sandy strip and start climbing along the rock-strewn shore beyond, he decided to follow.

But Jack soon discovered that his chum had not gone far. Just on the other side of the beach he saw the lonesome figure perched upon a smooth chunk of granite, his back resting against a large boulder just behind him. Ray’s hat was off and the wind was playing with his hair. He was staring off into space in a most preoccupied manner, and the expression on his face was that of a lad who was greatly disappointed over something.

So absorbed was he with his troubles that Jack managed to come up very close to him[110] before the young swordfisherman was aware of his presence. When he did notice the Vermonter, he seemed very much chagrined at being discovered and a sheepish smile wrinkled the corners of his mouth.

“Hello, Ray,” said Jack, sitting down upon the rock beside him. “I hope you’ll excuse me for following you, but—well, hang it all, you looked so glum that I just naturally worry over you. Something is on your mind, old chap, and I do wish that you would spit it out. Tell me all about it. Maybe I can help you or at least give you some advice.”

“Pshaw, Jack, don’t mind me. My troubles don’t amount to a row o’ pins to any one except myself. Shucks, let’s forget about it.”

“No, siree, now, Ray, I want to know. Look here; we’ve been pretty good friends since you came to the island in that whirlwind fashion, a couple of weeks ago, and I think that I should know all about your difficulties.”

“Aw, I haven’t any real troubles. I’m just disappointed, that’s all. You see—aw—er—let’s forget about it, will you?”

“No, no, Ray, come on, shout it out,” insisted Jack.

[111]

“I tell you it’s just disappointment, that’s all. You see I had laid so much store by it that I—”

“By what?” demanded Jack.

“Why, by my model—my non-sinkable lifeboat, you know. The one that Uncle Vance threw overboard.”

“Oh, I see, now I understand. I’d forgotten all about it. Well, why don’t you build a new model, old chap?”

“Why—er—well you see, Jack, I’ve been trying to, but, hang it all, I haven’t the material, for one thing, and—and—well, I’ve—you see there are a lot of figures about it that I’ve forgotten. I don’t know just how I did build the first one. It was made of sheet metal all soldered together and I can’t get a bit of tin or sheet iron here. I tried to make one of wood but that don’t go either. Gee, I am up against it. And I wanted to see if I couldn’t earn enough money with it—aw, shucks, let’s quit talkin’ about it. There’s no use in worrying you about it too, Jack.”

“Well, I’m mighty interested, Ray,” said Jack encouragingly. “What was the principle of the thing?”

[112]

“Why, just this, Jack. You remember when the Titanic was wrecked about a year ago? Sure you do. Well, when that happened there was a lot of talk about not enough lifeboats, and about the general unsafe condition of the boats that were being used on board the various steamers. That set me a-thinking and I decided to try and build a boat that wouldn’t sink and could not turn over, no matter how hard a wave hit it. Then after months of pottering around I worked out my model which looked like a big pumpkin seed roofed over. It was all fitted up, airtight compartments in the bow and stern, and the keel was so balanced, and the roof so well made, that even if the boat should be launched upside down, it would right itself and not ship a drop of water. There was a little place for a motor which, of course, could not be put in the model, but could be put in a big boat of regulation lifeboat size. It could also be propelled by oars and it had a number of advantages over the old-fashioned open lifeboat.”

“My, but that’s interesting,” said Jack; “I sure would like to see it.”

“Well, I guess it’ll be a long time before I[113] can build another and, by George, I’m getting older all the time. I’m nearly seventeen now.”

“What of that?” said Jack.

“What of it? Why, I want to go to high school some time, and college too. I sort of hoped that I might make money enough out of my invention to pay my way through school. I can’t wait until I am a full-grown man to go to ‘prep’ school, can I? And now that I’ve quit Uncle Vance I haven’t a single person in the world to help me. Not that I could ever expect any real help from him. But then a fellow needs a grown-up friend or two, no matter how cussed mean they are to him at times. But Uncle Vance was dead set against my ever going to school again—said it would make me even lazier than I am. I’m not lazy, am I, Jack?”

“Indeed, you’re not,” said Jack, and then he fell to thinking, for Ray’s remarks about school brought Jack’s mind back to Drueryville Academy, and, of course, the first thing that he thought of in connection with the school was the football situation for the next Fall.

“Jiminy, I certainly wish that you had[114] made money out of your invention,” he said after a moment.

“Why?” queried Ray in surprise.

“Well, we need a full-back out at Drueryville Academy and if you were going to go to ‘prep’ school I surely would see that you found your way over to Vermont. You’d make a corking full-back, Ray. Got the right build and all, and you’re strong as a bull, too. Ever play football?”

“Ever play? No, but I’d like to. Hang it, Jack, I haven’t ever been able to play at anything. Never had the chance that other boys get. All my life has been work and darned hard work, too. And when I haven’t been working, I’ve been quarreling with Uncle Vance or trying to keep out of his way, either one,” said Ray bitterly.

“Never mind,” said Jack solicitously, for he saw how unhappy Ray really was. “Your time will come, just you wait and see. I’m going to speak to Mr. Warner about your schooling, anyway. Perhaps he can help you out with some good advice at least. Pshaw, come on, let’s forget about your troubles. I’ll tell you what we’ll do. Let’s go for a row in[115] Captain Eli’s dory. We’ve never been down near the lower end of the island. I’d like to explore. Are you game for a row, Ray? Mr. Warner says that he will not have anything for us to do until some time to-morrow. How about it?”

“Sure enough,” said the unhappy youngster and presently the two boys were climbing over the rocks back toward the little strip of beach where the boats waited, gently tugging at their mooring lines.

It was a wonderful July afternoon, with scarcely a cloud in the warm blue sky. Out beyond the reef the broad Atlantic rolled on lazily under the Summer sun, while inside even the currents that usually raced between the ledge of rocks and the island seemed to have become sluggish.

“Let me take the oars,” said Ray, after the two lads had waded out and climbed aboard the dory, “I have the blues and there’s nothing like some good husky exercise to work them out of a fellow’s system.”

Jack consented and shortly the little craft was slipping along through the water under the young swordfisherman’s steady stroke. In[116] half an hour they had passed the southern end of the reef and gone beyond the reach of the currents into the open sea. Ray kept the boat about half a mile off the shore of the island and rowed steadily southward, apparently taking a great deal of pleasure in working the stiffness out of his muscular arms and back. As for Jack, he lay off in the stern of the boat thinking of nothing in particular.

Presently, however, Ray stopped rowing and appeared to listen. Then turning, he looked ahead and announced.

“Jack, there’s a school of mackerel ahead of us. Look in the locker there under the stern thwart, and see if Captain Eli has any fishing tackle. Perhaps we can find a couple of jigs in there.”

“Eh, how’s that? How do you know there’s a school of mackerel ahead? I see some gulls out there feeding on something but—”

“That’s just it. I heard ’em squealing like a whole flock of cats. If you’d been around salt water as long as I have you’d know they are feeding on little menhaden and wherever there’s a school of them you’ll be sure to find mackerel—or pollock. If it’s a school of pollock[117] then we can have some fun, providing, of course, we can find some fish lines. Pollock are the gamiest fish in the sea.”

Jack became enthusiastic immediately and quickly began a search under the stern seat. In a moment he resurrected a dilapidated market basket half full of coils of line, fish hooks, jigs, and a double handful of clams.

“Fine!” exclaimed Ray, surveying the outfit. “We’ll have fresh fish for supper............