Whit shot her an appreciative look. "That occurred to you, too? My suspicion started to rise the minute Smith went for his wallet."

"We spent three hours last night searching that boat from prow to keel," Greg said. "If there ever was a pirate treasure or something concealed aboard her, it isn't there now."

"In that case, we can just forget about Mr. Smith and all the other menacing rivals you three have conjured up," Regina said firmly. "Pretty soon we won't have time to loaf around; we'll have to buckle down and start getting things in shape for the wedding."

"To think I've met my doom so young!" Greg moaned, but it was obvious that he wouldn't have traded one of Regina's dimples for an admiral's stripes.

Regina proposed a picnic, an idea which the others quickly seconded. They made a foray on the Prescott refrigerator, then returned to the beach to eat, talk, and swim the day away.

Late that afternoon, Whit boarded the Albatross, and presently he rejoined his companions carrying a dog-eared catalogue. Using the damp sand as a tablet, he estimated the cost of the furniture and equipment which would be needed to start the houseboat-restaurant in business.

"I hadn't figured on everything being so expensive," he said in a worried tone. He added that even at wholesale prices his budget could not possibly stretch enough to cover the cost of all the tables and chairs, as well as the enormous amount of dishes, flatware, and linen that would be needed.

"Why don't you buy some of the things secondhand?" Barbara suggested. "We can all scout around for a cafe that's going out of business. In that way, you could buy what you need at half price, or even less."

Whit solved a quick problem in long division. "We could swing that," he agreed. "Buying the stuff at half price would leave us enough capital to install a modern range and dishwasher, too."