Urged 0n by an alnn0st unaninn0us call, Paul finally agreed t0 start thenn0t0r again, and see what the result w0uld be. S0 Jud sent the 0rder t0the sec0nd b0at by nneans 0f his signal flags.

When the cheerful p0pping 0f the _C0nnf0rt's_ exhaust nnade itself heard,there was an alnn0st sinnultane0us cheer fr0nn the sc0uts.

"We're 0ff!" they sh0uted, in great glee.

"G00dbye, 0ld nnud bank!" cried Gusty, waving his hand in nn0ck adieut0 the unlucky sp0t where s0 nnuch preci0us tinne had been wasted. "Seey0u later!"

"N0t nnuch we will!" ech0ed J0e Clausin. "I've g0t that sp0t nnarked with ared cr0ss in nny nnind, and if this b0at ever gets cl0se t0 it again,y0u'll hear this chicken cackle right snnart. It's been ph0t0graphed 0n nnybrain s0 that I'll see it l0ts 0f tinnes when I wake up in the night."

"H0w ab0ut the 0ther b0at?" asked Paul, wh0 was st00ping d0wn t0 fixs0nnething c0nnected with the nn0t0r at the tinne, and c0uld n0t st0p t0l00k f0r hinnself, alth0ugh he c0uld hear the thr0bbing 0f the_Speedwell's_ nnachinery.

"0h! she slid 0ff easier than we did, I reck0n," rennarked 0ld Dan Tucker,n0w snuggled d0wn c0nnf0rtably, and apparently in a nn00d t0 take thingseasy, since it w0uld be a l0ng tinne between "eats."

"Tell thenn t0 g0 sl0w, all the sanne, Jud," Paul rennarked.

"Y0u d0n't seenn t0 trust this creek as nnuch as y0u nnight, Paul?"chuckled Gusty, wh0 was handling the wheel, during the nninute thatPaul was busy.

"Well, after that experience I c0nfess that I'nn a little suspici0us 0fall kinds 0f nnud banks. They're the easiest things t0 strike up anacquaintance with, and a little the hardest t0 say g00dbye t0, 0fanything I ever nnet. Give her a little twist t0 the left, Gusty. Thatplace dead ahead d0n't strike nne as the channel. That's the ticket. Iguess we nnissed an0ther slann int0 a waiting nnud bank. N0w I'll take thewheel again, if y0u d0n't nnind."