MESSING AROUND IN MEXICO 



the worst, and am seldom disappointed. The 

 finest and the most expensive speed boat I 

 owned I sold to the government for one dollar, 

 to me in hand paid, receipt whereof is hereby 

 gratefully acknowledged. Some war-time ne- 

 cessity made the transaction possible, but, 

 in view of the small amount of money in- 

 volved, the government insisted upon re- 

 garding that beautiful mahogany-and-brass 

 extravagance as a gift. I did not. I preferred 

 to look upon it as an outright sale at a satis- 

 factory price. Not long ago, I heard the 

 disquieting rumor that naval craft presented 

 to the government during the war are to be 

 returned to the donors. For fear it might be 

 true I sold my country place at a loss and 

 moved away from where I then lived I 

 moved inland. Until I learn definitely that 

 the navy intends to keep that boat I purpose 

 changing my address without notice and as 

 often as necessary. 



But the middle of Los Angeles Bay in the 

 middle of the night is one of the lonesomest 

 places I ever broke down in. I cared even 

 less for it when I discovered that our only 

 tools were a monkey wrench, an oar, two 

 pocket knives, and a pipe cleaner. However, 



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