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74
ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLE

ing to stop, too—to see an uncle of mine on a little business."

"Then you'll travel with us to Philadelphia?" queried Sam.

"Sure."

"Good! Tom was just saying he'd like some of the others along."

"When I got your invitation I danced a jig of delight," went on Songbird. "I just couldn't help it. Then I sat down and wrote——"

"A piece of poetry about it thirty-five stanzas long," finished Tom.

"No, Tom, there are only six verses. You see I couldn't help it—I was so chuck full of enthusiasm. The poem begins like this:

"'Twas a peaceful, summer night,
When all the stars were shining bright,
There came a rap on our house door
Which made me leap from bed to floor.
To me had come a telegram
From my old chums, Dick, Tom and Sam
Asking if I had a notion
To sail with them upon the ocean.
To skim along on waters blue——"

"And then and there get seasick, too,"

finished Tom. "Don't forget to put in about the seasickness, Songbird—it always goes with a voyage, you know."