Page:Barbour--Captain Chub.djvu/343

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THE BURGLARY
325

tables, and I’ll pay for what we get at the store. Are you keeping the account straight, Roy?”

“I guess so, I put down whatever any one tells me to. It’s hot down here. Let’s get back on deck.”

The doctor was sitting in one of the willow chairs, his gaze on the opposite shore of the river, where a few faint lights twinkled through the darkness. Chub lighted the lamp in the wheel-house, and Harry stopped behind her father and rumpled his hair playfully.

“Asleep, papa?” she asked.

“Asleep? By no means, my dear. The fact is, I was—” he paused and laughed amusedly—“I was occupied in rather a funny way. I was making up a riddle.”

“A riddle!” said Harry. “That’s nice. What is it, papa?”

“Well, see if you can guess it, any of you.”

“That means me,” said Chub, perching himself on the rail and hugging a stanchion. “If there’s one thing I pride myself on, it’s elucidating riddles. Elucidator’s my middle name.”

“Well, tell me what it is that