Page:Bedford-Jones--Boy Scouts of the Air at Cape Peril.djvu/26

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The Boy Scouts of the Air

forget it before you're a hundred. See here, fellows, the pirate business is sort of on the blink now, but I certainly would like to spend about two years sailing around the world. That's a long sight better education than what you get in books. But blessed if I want to swab decks. You can't look at the scenery and study the customs of the natives while you are splicing ropes and splashing water around all day. Wonder if they'd take me on one of these pleasure yachts as an entertainer. I can play the guitar and do card tricks—"

"That's right, Jimmy," interrupted Legs, now recovering his usual good humor, "blow off to hear yourself talk. But tell you what's a fact. If you can speak 'steen languages, you can get a fat job on 'most any old ship. Easy berth, too. Father picked up a fellow in Newport News who can tie Spanish up in a bow knot, believe me, and, as Father can't talk anything much but American, he is giving him all sorts of money just to help him chin the Greasers down there in Mexico."

"That straight?" said Jimmy. "Gee! I sure will take that Spanish course in High