_In Which Billy Topsail Gets an Idea and, to the Amazement
of Jimmie Grimm, Archie Armstrong Promptly Goes Him One
Better_
While Archie Armstrong was pursuing his piratical adventure in the
French harbour of St. Pierre, Billy Topsail had gone fishing with
Jimmie Grimm and Donald North. This was in the trim little sloop that
Sir Archibald had sent north to Billy Topsail in recognition of his
service to Archie during a great blizzard from which Bill o' Burnt Bay
had rescued them both.[5] There were now no fish in the summer waters
of Ruddy Cove; but word had come down the coast that fish were running
in the north. So up went the sails of the little _Rescue_; and with
Billy Topsail, Jimmie Grimm and Bobby North aboard she swept daintily
between the tickle rocks and turned her shapely prow towards White
Bay.
There was good fishing with hook and line; and as the hold of the
little sloop was small she was soon loaded with green cod.
"I 'low I got an idea," said Billy Topsail.
Jimmie Grimm looked up.
"We'll sail for Ruddy Cove the morrow," Billy went on; "an' when we
lands our fish we'll go tradin'. There's a deal o' money in that, I'm
told; an' with what we gets for our fish we'll stock the cabin o' the
_Rescue_ and come north again t' trade in White Bay."
Donald and Jimmie were silent; the undertaking was too vast to be
comprehended in a moment.
"Let's have Archie," said Jimmie, at last.
"An' poor ol' Bagg," said Donald.
"We'll have Archie if he'll come," Billy agreed, "an' Bagg if we can
stow un away."
There was a long, long silence, during which the three boys began to
dream in an amazing way.
"Billy," Donald North asked, at last, "what you goin' t' do with your
part o' the money we'll make at tradin'?"
It was a quiet evening on the coast; and from the deck of the sloop,
where she lay in harbour, the boys looked away to a glowing sunset,
above the inland hills and wilderness.
"I don't know," Billy replied. "What you goin' t' do with your share,
Jimmie?"
"Don't know," said Jimmie, seriously. "What you goin' t' do with
yours, Donald?"
"I isn't quite made up my mind," said Donald, with an anxious frown.
"I 'low I'll wait an' see what Archie does with his."
The three boys stowed away in the little cabin of the _Rescue_ very
early that night. They were to set sail for Ruddy Cove at dawn of the
next morning.
* * * * *
Archie Armstrong, now returned from the Miquelon Islands and relieved
of his anxiety concerning that adventure by his father's letter, was
heart and soul for trading. But he scorned the little _Rescue_. It was
merely that she was too small, he was quick to add; she was trim and
fast and stout, she possessed every virtue a little craft could have,
but as for trading, on any scale that half-grown boys could tolerate,
she was far too small. If a small venture could succeed, why shouldn't
a larger one? What Archie wanted--what he determined they should
have--was a thirty-ton schooner. Nothing less would do. They must have
a thirty-ton fore-an'-after with Bill o' Burnt Bay to skipper her.
The _Heavenly Home_? Not at all! At any rate, Josiah Cove was to take
that old basket to the Labrador for the last cruise of the season.
Jimmie Grimm laughed at Archie.
"What you laughing at?" Archie demanded, with a grin.
Jimmie couldn't quite tell; but the truth was that the fisherman's lad
could never get used to the airy, confident, masterful way of a rich
man's son and a city-bred boy.
"Look you, Archie!" said Billy Topsail, "where in time is you goin' t'
get that schooner?"
"The _On Time_," was the prompt reply. "We'll call her the _Spot
Cash_."
Billy realized that the _On Time_ might be had. Also that she might be
called the _Spot Cash_. She had lain idle in the harbour since her
skipper had gone off to the mines at Sidney to make more money in
wages than he could take from the sea. But how charter her?
"Where you goin' t' get the stock?" Jimmie Grimm inquired.
"Don't know whether I can or not," said Archie; "but I'm going to try
my level best."
Archie Armstrong left for St. John's by the next mail-boat. He was
not the lad to hesitate. What his errand was the Ruddy Cove boys knew
well enough; but concerning the prospect of success, they could only
surmise. However, Archie wouldn't be long. Archie wasn't the lad to be
long about anything. What he undertook to do he went right _at_!
"If he can only do it," Billy Topsail said.
Jimmie Grimm and Donald North and Bagg stared at Billy Topsail like a
litter of eager and expectant little puppies. And Bill o' Burnt Bay
stood like a wise old dog behind. If only Archie could!
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[5] As related in "The Adventures of Billy Topsail."