Chapter XVIII: Every Which Way

We left Merry-go-round Island revolving gracefully upon a tiny reef whence it was borne by the rising tide. We are now to take up our narrative at the point where the island ceased spinning and was carried slowly on upstream by the incoming waters. When the tide reached flood, the island hesitated upon the still water, then like some obedient and clumsy ox, moved slowly downstream again upon the ebb. And meanwhile, the day departed and darkness fell upon the winding river and the hardy adventurers lit their lanterns.

"I was hoping we might stick in some pleasant spot," said Townsend, "where the fishing is good. I forgot how a floating island might act in a tidal river. I wish this island would make up its mind to something. Just when I want to explore the western coast I find it's the eastern coast. I don't know where I'm at----"

"You don't have to know where you're at to have fun," said Pee-wee.

"I know it," said Townsend; "but when I hike fifteen or twenty feet to the north coast of the island and then the island swings around and I find I'm on the south coast, I've got to hike all the way across the island again to get to the north coast and when I get there I find I'm on the west coast. Then I cross to the east coast and in about a minute I find I'm on the southern shore.

"No matter where I go I'm somewhere else; it's discouraging. I've walked forty-eleven miles since supper trying to keep on the western coast and here I am on the north--wait a minute--the eastern coast. If this island won't stay still I can't explore it."

"I tell you what we can do," said Pee-wee; "we can penetrate the interior, then we'll always be in the same place."

So they penetrated the interior and sprawled on the ground and chatted.

"When we find another member," said Pee-wee, "we'll have a full patrol and then we'll have to start a scout record and write down a description of the island and everything we see, because scouts have to do that because they have to be observant and they have to be accurate when they describe things."

"Would you say that this little tree is near the west coast of the island?" Townsend asked. "I've followed it around for the last half hour and I don't know where it is except it's here."

"Here isn't a place," said Roly Poly.

"Sure it is," shouted Pee-wee; "here is just as much a place as there."

"More," said Townsend. "There are three places--here, there, and everywhere; I've often heard them spoken of."

"That's just where this island is," said Brownie.

"Absolutely," said Townsend, "only it won't stay there. Is there anything more we can eat? Anything more that you don't have to _make_? My long tramp in search of the west coast has made me hungry again."

"I can make flapjacks," said Pee-wee; "I've got eight pounds of Indian meal."

"How far would I have to hike to digest them?" Townsend asked.

"You'd need a bigger island than this," said Brownie. "You couldn't digest a flapjack on anything smaller than South America."

"Give me a piece of chocolate," said Townsend, "and a couple of prunes."

"It looks nice up the river in the moonlight, doesn't it?" Brownie asked.

"You mean down the river," said Townsend.

"I'm facing----"

"Don't try to find out where you're facing," said Townsend. "Here, eat a prune."

"I'm going to turn in pretty soon," said Nuts.

"That's a new place to turn," said Townsend. "We've turned everywhere but _in_. In the morning we'll turn out; then we will have turned everywhere."

"We're flopping downstream pretty fast," said Brownie; "that's one sure thing."

"I'm glad there's something sure," said Townsend. It was as good as a circus to see him sitting against the tree with his knees drawn up, glancing this way and that with a funny look of patient resignation on his face.

"What do you say we put the tent up in the heart of the interior? Then we'll be able to find it in the morning. The unknown heart of the interior seems to be the only place we can be sure of. At least it always stays inside. Hand me that grocery box from the extreme southern shore, will you? And another prune? The heart of my interior demands another prune. Do you know, Discoverer, what I think? I think I see a settlement. I don't know where it is because I don't know which way I'm facing, but I'm certainly facing a settlement--or at least I was a second ago. There it is again. I think we're nearing the coast of Japan; I see a Japanese lantern. That's funny. Did we pass the Philippines?"

"I don't know," said Brownie. "We passed Corbett's Lumber Yard."

"The Philippines are farther along," said Townsend; "they're the second turn to our left. If this island hits Japan they'll grab it; I have a feeling that they'll grab it like the island of Yap."

"_I've got an inspiration! I've got an inspiration!_" shouted Pee-wee in a voice of thunder. "I know where we're at. That's Mr. Skybrow's place down there. He owns a lot of railroads and things! They're having a lawn party there to-night!"

"Are they having anything to eat?" Townsend asked quietly.

"Yum, yum--m-m-m!" said Pee-wee. "They have everything. Once I went to Minerva's birthday party and I couldn't go to school all next week, that's how much they have to eat there. Get the clothes-sticks. Get the clothes-sticks! Let's pole the island to shore. I bet she'll like you because you're big--I'll introduce you to her--all my old troop is going to be there--hurry up--push--keep pushing!"

"Reach over to the west coast and hand me that pole from the north coast before it goes over to the east coast," said Townsend quietly.

"Get up! _Get up_!" shouted Pee-wee, all excitement. "Aren't you going to get up?"

"Positively," said Townsend, dragging himself to his feet.

"Shh!" said Pee-wee, "let's surprise them."

"You're the only one that's making any noise," said Townsend.

"I mean myself, too," said Pee-wee. "Shhhh."

"He's telling himself to keep still," sais Brownie, unable to control his laughter.

"I mean all of us--me too," said Pee-wee. "Shh."

It was during the long and rather difficult process of poling the island to shore that Pee-wee, unable to impose more than comparative quiet upon himself, edified his companions with an account of his recent adventure in Barrel Alley.

And it was his seemingly ominous mention of "cops" and fugitives which Minerva Skybrow and her friends, lingering at the little refreshment tent near the river, overheard. At that moment the desert island was bobbing against the thick rhododendron bushes at the edge of the lawn.