THE EXCURSION TO WHITEHALL
Lawry was no lawyer, and was therefore unable to form an opinion in
regard to the legality of the steps by which the _Woodville_ had
been taken from him. It was an accomplished fact, and he was as
disconsolate as though he had lost his best friend. He went on shore,
and until the peremptory order of the sheriff was given, he expected
to see the steamer shoot out from the wharf and disappear beyond the
point, in charge of another person than himself.
He had refused to pilot the steamer under the new order of things,
not because he wished to be spiteful to his brother, but because he
was smarting under a sense of injustice, which unfitted him for the
duty. Though he did not comprehend the legal measures which had been
taken, he felt that there was something wrong. The _Woodville_
belonged to him, not to his father; and though he was willing to give
all his earnings for the support of the family, and even to pay off
the mortgage on the place, he felt that it was not right to take the
steamer from him.
He stood on the wharf, paralyzed by the calamity which had overtaken
him. He wanted to do something, but he did not know what to do. The
sheriff, by his caution, had defeated the plans of the new captain,
and Lawry was waiting to see what would happen next. He wished to see
Mr. Sherwood, and he would have hastened up to his house if he could
have endured the thought of losing sight of the steamer even for a
moment. Ethan was still on deck, for though he refused to run the
engine, he felt it to be his duty to stand by and see that no
accident happened, for the steam was up, and the fireman was an
unskillful person.
Ben Wilford and Taylor were disappointed and chagrined at their
failure to get off. They stormed and swore, till it was apparent that
storming and swearing would not start the steamer. The sheriff
positively refused to let the boat depart without a competent pilot
and engineer.
"What shall we do, Wilford?" said Taylor. "Can't you persuade your
brother to take hold again?"
"He's as obstinate as a mule; but I'll try," replied Ben.
"Offer him twenty dollars for his day's work," added Taylor.
"I may be able to compromise with him, if you're willing."
"Anything you please, if you can make him and the other fellow go
with us."
"Lawry, Mr. Taylor will give you twenty dollars if you will pilot
the steamer to-day," said Ben.
"I wouldn't go for a hundred," replied the young pilot. "I won't go
with you at any rate."
"Don't be so obstinate, Lawry."
"I engaged the boat to Mr. Sherwood, and I will not go with anybody
else."
"Mr. Sherwood won't care when he finds out that you are not to
blame. You can't resist the law, and it isn't your fault."
"Ben, I wouldn't do what you have done for all the steamers on the
lake. You have got this man to attach the property, and take the
house away from mother, just because you wanted to be captain of this
steamer."
"What's the use of talking about that, Lawry?" replied Ben
impatiently. "I'm going to be captain of this steamer, anyhow; and
the sooner you make up your mind to it, the better it will be for you."
"I can't help myself."
"I know you can't, and for that reason you had better submit with a
good grace. If you will take your place in the wheel-house, Mr.
Taylor will remove the attachment."
"Will he?"
"I will," replied Taylor.
"And put everything where it was before?" asked Lawry.
"Of course I am to be captain, and Mr. Taylor is to have the boat
to-day," added Ben.
"Mr. Taylor can't have her to-day," said Lawry firmly. "I engaged
her to Mr. Sherwood, and if anybody has her to-day, he must. That's
all I want to say about it now."
The young pilot turned on his heel and walked away. His brother and
the creditor were conspirators, and he wanted nothing to do with
them. He might have been less resolute, if he had not seen Mr.
Sherwood's carriage stop at the head of the wharf.
"Are you all ready, Lawry?" asked Mr. Sherwood.
The poor boy could make no reply; he burst into tears, and turned
away from his kind friend.
"What's the matter, Lawry?" demanded Mr. Sherwood.
"I suppose he feels bad, sir," interposed the sheriff. "The boat has
been attached for his father's debts."
"For his father's debts!" exclaimed the rich gentleman.
The officer gave him a full explanation of the case.
"This will never do," added Mr. Sherwood indignantly. "This boat is
Lawry's property in his own right."
"I think not," added Taylor. "Here's my lawyer; he can explain the
matter to you."
"No explanation is needed," replied Mr. Sherwood.
"The boy is a minor," said the legal gentleman.
"He may need a guardian, nothing more, to enable him to hold the
property."
"Perhaps you are more familiar with the law than I am, Mr.
Sherwood," said the legal gentleman pompously. "You gave this boat to
the boy."
"I did."
"While she lay at the bottom of the lake she was worth nothing. She
was an abandoned wreck. If you had any property at all in her, it was
subject to the salvage. Lawry Wilford raised her. I suppose you are
willing to believe that the boy's father is entitled to his earnings?"
"I grant that."
"Well, sir, whatever the boy earned in the way of salvage belongs to
his father; and we sue to recover that."
"This is a ridiculous suit!" exclaimed Mr. Sherwood.
"Perhaps it is, sir, but we shall hold the boat, subject to the
decision of the court."
Mr. Sherwood was vexed and perplexed; for, whether the claim could
be substantiated or not, the _Woodville_ could be held until a
decision was reached. Lawry then took him aside, and told him what
his brother had done, in order to make himself captain of the steamer.
"Is that it, Lawry? I'm more sorry for your brother's sake than I am
for yours. I pity him, because he has been capable of doing so mean a
thing. Don't distress yourself, my boy. We will make this all right
in the course of ten minutes."
"But they have taken the steamer away from me, and given her up to
Ben, who is to take charge of her."
"Never mind, Lawry. They shall give her back to you," replied the
rich man, as he walked up to the lawyer. "How much is your claim
against Mr. Wilford?"
"One thousand and sixty-four dollars," answered the legal gentleman.
"Will you take my draft or check for the amount?"
"No, sir."
"I see you are not disposed to be accommodating."
"We intend to have the first sail in this steamer," sneered Taylor.
"I intend you shall not," said Mr. Sherwood.
Unfortunately he had not money enough with him to discharge the
claim against the ferryman, which, as it was a just debt, whatever
might be said of the means taken to recover it, he had decided to
pay, rather than give bonds for the steamer, and contest the
attachment. He had invited several gentlemen to accompany him up the
lake in the _Woodville_, who were now on the wharf, and from
them he borrowed enough to make up the sum required. The money was
given to Mrs. Wilford, with instructions to go to a certain lawyer
and employ him to see that the mortgage on the house and land was
properly canceled.
"When we get our money, the attachment on the boat can be dissolved,
not before," said the lawyer. "Mr. Sheriff, the debt is not paid yet."
"I will put the money in your hands, if you desire," added Mr.
Sherwood to the sheriff.
"I am satisfied. You may go where you please with the boat, and as
soon as you please," replied the official.
"She will not go till this claim is settled, Mr. Sheriff,"
remonstrated the legal gentleman.
"She may go now," responded the officer. "Ben Wilford, your services
will not be needed. Now, gentlemen, we will go up to the village and
settle the bills."
The lawyer protested that the attachment could not be removed till
the debt had been paid, but the sheriff was willing to take the
responsibility of releasing the boat.
"All aboard, Lawry!" shouted Mr. Sherwood.
"I didn't expect you to do this, sir," said the young pilot; "but I
will pay you every dollar, if the steamer ever earns so much."
"We will talk about that some other time, my boy. We are all ready
to be off now."
Lawry, with a light heart, sprang to his place in the wheel-house;
Ethan was already at his post in the engine-room, and the ladies and
gentlemen of the party hastened on board.
"Put that basket ashore," said Lawry to the deckhands, as he pointed
to the "stores" of the party.
The basket was tumbled on the wharf, to the imminent peril of the
glassware it contained. Ben Wilford stood on the pier, leaning
against one of the posts to which the steamer was fastened. He looked
sour and disappointed.
"Cast off the bow-line," said Lawry, when all was ready.
At this moment Ben jumped on board.
"Stop her!" said Mr. Sherwood sharply, as Lawry rang the bell to
back her.
"What's the matter, sir?" asked the pilot.
"Young man," said Mr. Sherwood, stepping up to Ben Wilford, "you
will oblige me by going on shore."
"What for?" demanded Ben crustily.
"We do not need your company."
"But I want to go."
"I do not wish you to go."
"I think it is rather steep for you to tell me I can't go in my
brother's boat."
"Steep as it may seem, you can't go," added Mr. Sherwood firmly.
"Can't I go, Lawry?" continued Ben.
"It is not for him to say. I have engaged this boat for my party to-day,
and, beyond his crew, it is not for him to say who shall go."
"I'm going, anyhow," replied Ben stubbornly.
"No, you are not."
"Yes, I am! if you want to fight, I'm all ready."
"Young man, you wanted to be captain of this boat; you have made a
mistake."
"No, I haven't. You and Lawry can't make a nobody out of me."
"You will do it yourself."
"You see."
"Will you go on shore?"
"No, I won't."
The sheriff stood on the wharf with Mrs. Wilford, waiting to see the
departure of the _Woodville_. Ben's mother begged him to come on
shore; but he was in that frame of mind which seemed to make
opposition a necessity to him. "Do you want any assistance, Mr.
Sherwood?" asked the sheriff, as he stepped on deck.
The reckless young man would have been very glad to have Mr.
Sherwood put his hand upon him, for it would have afforded him an
opportunity to revenge himself for his disappointment. It was another
thing to raise his hand against an officer of the law, and he
sullenly walked up the gangplank when that formidable individual
intimated his readiness to relieve the boat of her unwelcome passenger.
"Haul in the plank, and cast off the bow-line," said Lawry.
He rang the bell to back her, and when her bow pointed out from the
shore, the stern-line was cast off, and she moved slowly away from
the wharf.
"I'm sorry your brother behaves so badly, Lawry," said Mr. Sherwood,
after the steamer started.
"It makes me sick to think of it, sir," replied the pilot. "I'm
really afraid of him, for I don't know what he will do next."
"Do your duty, faithfully; that is all you need do."
"I feel almost sorry I didn't let him be captain, when I think the
matter over."
"He is not fit to be captain; and you did quite right in not
consenting to it. I'm sorry for you, Lawry, and sorry for your
mother, for he must be a sore trial to both of you."
"If he wasn't my brother I wouldn't care," added Lawry, restraining
the tears.
"Never mind it, my boy; we won't say anything more about it. Let us
hope your brother will grow better."
"I hope he will, sir."
The _Woodville_ was now going at full speed up the lake. The
party on board consisted of twenty-four ladies and gentlemen, most of
whom were summer visitors at Port Rock. They were delighted with the
beautiful little craft, and glad to know that she could be obtained
for pleasure-parties during the summer. They wandered about the deck,
saloon, and cabin till they had examined every part of her, and then
they gave themselves up to the enjoyment of the sail, and of the
magnificent scenery on the borders of the lake. They seated
themselves on the forward deck, and Lawry pointed out the objects of
interest as the steamer proceeded; and in this occupation he forgot
the conduct of Ben, and was as happy as the happiest of the party
before him. The ladies and gentlemen sang songs and psalm tunes, in
which the sweet voice of Fanny Jane Grant was so prominent that Ethan
was once enticed from the fascinating engine which occupied all his
thoughts.
In the meantime, Mrs. Light was busy with the dinner. Captain Lawry
was a little uneasy on this subject, for it was out of his line of
business. In the middle of the forenoon he gave the wheel to one of
the deck-hands, and went down into the kitchen to satisfy himself
that this important matter was receiving due attention. The cook was
so confident and enthusiastic that he was quite sure she would
realize the expectations of the passengers. In the cabin he found the
girls busy at the tables. Both of them had seen service in hotels,
and there was no danger of a failure in their department. At one
o'clock dinner was on the table, and the young captain went down
again to assure himself that it was all right.
"Come, Lawry, can't you dine with us?" said Mr. Sherwood, when the
bell had been rung.
"I can't leave the wheel, sir."
"But don't you want some dinner?"
"I'll have my dinner when we get to Whitehall. Haste makes waste,
you know; and if I should be in a hurry to eat my dinner we might get
aground, or be smashed up on the rocks."
"I suppose you are right, Lawry, and I will do the honors of the
table for you," laughed Mr. Sherwood.
The dinner was not only satisfactory, but it was warmly praised; and
Mrs. Light was made as happy as the captain by the enthusiastic
encomiums bestowed upon her taste and skill in the culinary art.
The _Woodville_ reached Whitehall at two o'clock, where the
party went on shore to spend an hour. While they were absent Lawry
and all hands had their dinner, the cabins and the deck were swept,
and everything put in order. Quite a number of people visited the
little steamer while she lay at the pier; and a gentleman engaged her
to take out a party the next Saturday, with dinner for twenty-four
persons. When Mr. Sherwood returned, he had let her for another day.
At three o'clock the _Woodville_ started for Port Rock. The
party were still in high spirits, and the singing was resumed when
the wheels began to turn. On the way down, she stopped at
Ticonderoga, while her appearance so delighted a party of
pleasure-seekers that she was engaged for another day, and a dinner
for twenty spoken for.
"Lawry, you must have an engagement-book, or you will forget some of
your parties," said Mr. Sherwood, who stood by the pilot, in the
wheel-house, when the steamer started.
"I have put them all down on a piece of paper, sir. I will get a
book when I go to Burlington."
"Which will be to-morrow. I had engaged her for four days when you
came up with her from Port Henry; but I'm afraid we shall work you
too hard."
"No fear of that, sir. I only hope I shall be able to pay you that
money you advanced this morning."
"Don't say a word about that. Let me see: you are engaged in
Burlington to-morrow, to me the next day, and in Whitehall on the
following day."
"I will get a book and put them down, sir."
"But you must be in Burlington by eight o'clock tomorrow morning."
"We can run up to-night."
"You will get no sleep if you run all night."
"I think we shall want another fireman."
"You will: for in order to keep your engagements you will
occasionally have to run nights."
At eight o'clock the _Woodville_ landed her passengers at Port
Rock, and as the gentlemen went ashore, they gave three cheers for
the little steamer and her little captain.