few articles from the collection on the beach and threw them into his
dory without speaking, but after pulling from the shore a few strokes,
he stopped to say:
"Don't think you've seen the last of me, Ben Johnson. I count the
'Sally' as belongin' to me as much as she ever did, an' from this out
I'll make it my business to see that you don't swell 'round in her,
lordin' it over me!"
"No one wants to lord it over you, Eliakim," Uncle Ben replied, quietly.
"I would like to be friends with you, an' have tried from the first to
lend a hand when you was needin' it----"
"I s'pose that's what you was doin' when you took my cook from me?" the
captain roared.
"What I did then was to help a poor little orphan who was bein' abused,
an' it was no more than my duty."
"Fine words butter no parsnips with me! I'll show you an' that mutinous
hound of a Rube Rowe what comes to them that cross Eliakim Doak's path!"
and with this threat the captain rowed away, the little group on the
island watching until he was beyond ear-shot, when Mr. Rowe said
thoughtfully:
"I never had no great idee that Eliakim ever hankered much after the
truth, but when he promises to work mischief, I'm believin' he'll keep
his word."
"It's childish for us to think that he can do anythin' to harm us,"
Uncle Ben replied, as he pushed off the dory again, preparatory to
carrying his morning's catch to the car.
"It would be childish to give him a fair chance," Mr. Rowe cried. "I'm
not allowin' that he'll cut any great swarth while the 'Sally' is high
an' dry on the sand; but once she's afloat you know as well as I that a
man like Eliakim could do her so much harm in one hour that we couldn't
repair it in a year."
"We won't cross any bridges until we come to them," the old man said
cheerily, as he pulled away, and Reuben added in a low tone, not caring
that Uncle Ben should hear him:
"I allow there's a good deal of sense in that old sayin', but there are
times when a man better keep his weather eye peeled to see that sich as
Eliakim don't build bridges for him to cross. We'll put aboard this
plunder that Doak didn't take away with him, an' then get dinner, for
I'm countin' we'll have a spell at the pump this afternoon. There's a
good bit of water aboard the 'Sally,' an' it must be well out of her
before we can caulk around the stern-post."
When Uncle Ben came ashore from the lobster car dinner was nearly ready,
and while washing his hands and face he announced the result of his
morning's work.
"Things are surely comin' our way. Here we are takin' more lobsters than
I've seen come out of the pots this many a day, an' jest when we're
needin' the money to buy a new outfit for the 'Sally.'"
"Much good the new outfit will do her if Eliakim's goin' to hang 'round
watchin' for a chance to put a spoke in the wheel," Mr. Rowe grumbled.
"There, there, Reuben, don't keep frettin' when we've got so much to be
thankful for. Eliakim's bark is worse'n his bite, an' that I've known
this many a day."
At this point the conversation was interrupted by Sam's announcement
that dinner was ready, and, much to Tommy's surprise, Uncle Ben's prayer
was mostly a plea for Captain Doak, that he might be brought to see the
errors of his ways.
While eating, the old man asked concerning the work that had been done
during his absence, and when Reuben had made a detailed report, he said:
"I'm allowin' that you'll be wantin' me to make another voyage to the
Port mighty soon, Reuben?"
"It would be a good thing if we had a bale of oakum an' a barrel of tar
this very day. We're goin' to pump her out after dinner, an' oughter be
able to stop the worst of the leaks as soon as that's been done."
"I'll get off bright an' early in the mornin'. Sammy an' Tommy can tend
to the pots, an' you'll have to shift as best you can alone till they
have done the work. I'm allowin' there are some things the cook is
needin', so we'll write 'em all down an' I'll spread myself buyin'
stuff."
Sam did not wait to finish his dinner before making out a list of what
was needed in the way of stores, and Mr. Rowe called for several tools
that would be required in the work of wrecking, all of which promised to
make up a busy day of shopping.
"I reckon I'll be gone till nigh nightfall, if I buy all that stuff,"
Uncle Ben said, with a chuckle of pleasure. "It's mighty lucky lobsters
are fetchin' a big price, else I might have to bust the bank by drawin'
out all my money."
Mr. Rowe was not inclined to linger long at table, or spend very much
time in conversation while there remained so great an amount of work to
be done on the "Sally," and as soon as Tom and Sam could wash the dishes
he insisted on their following him to the beach.
A full hour after sunset did the entire "family" labor on their vessel,
and when finally they went to the shanty, tired to the verge of
exhaustion, it was with the pleasing knowledge that very much had been
accomplished since sunrise. The largest leak, which was near the
stern-post, as Reuben had guessed, was stopped as well as it could be
with oiled rags, and the "Sally D." had already settled over to port on
the timbers.
"I'm allowin' that by to-morrow night, even though you lads are to loaf
half the time foolin' with the lobster traps, we'll have things in sich
shape that she can't go any further inter the sand, no matter how strong
the wind may blow from the s'uthard."
*CHAPTER XV*
*A NEW MEMBER*
When Sam was first told that he would be allowed to live on Apple Island
with Uncle Ben, he mentally promised that he would be the first up and
at work in the morning, to the end that the old lobster catcher might
gain more rest than had been possible when, as he himself expressed it,
he was "captain, mate, and all the crew down to the cook"; but on this
day after the first real work of wrecking had been done on the "Sally
D.," the lad's eyes were so heavy with slumber that he continued to
sleep even while Mr. Rowe and Uncle Ben were cooking breakfast.
When, finally, he did awaken, the odor of coffee and fried fish came to
his nostrils, and for the merest fraction of time he believed it was all
a dream; but an instant later he was on his feet, thoroughly wide awake,
as he said with somewhat of reproach in his tone:
"Why didn't you waken me, Mr. Rowe? It isn't fair for you an' Uncle Ben
to be doin' my work when I show myself such a sleepyhead. It would have
served me right if you'd dragged me out by the heels!"
"You put in a hard day's work yesterday, Sammy," Uncle Ben said in a
kindly tone. "It stands to reason that you was tired out, an' it seemed
the biggest kind of a pity to break in on what you was enjoyin' so much,
'specially since my eyes were open so wide that I couldn't have brought
'em together agin no matter how hard I tried. I declare for it, I'm
allowin' myself to get wrought up over ownin' the 'Sally' as bad as
Deacon Stubbs was when 'Bije Fernald gave him a foxhound! The idea of
what I've got to buy at the Port to-day, an' how the schooner will look
after we get her in sailin' trim once more, has kinder turned my head.
Give Tommy a shake, Sam, an' as soon as you boys have washed up, we'll
have breakfast."
All this while Tom had been sleeping noisily yet peacefully, but he was
aroused to consciousness of his surroundings very speedily after Sam
obeyed Uncle Ben's command, and was no less surprised than had been his
comrade, on finding the breakfast ready for eating.
The old lobster catcher seemed to think it comical because he had been
able to cook breakfast without arousing either of the lads, and
evidently enjoyed the surprise, therefore very slight complaint was made
by the regular cook, although he felt that in some way, he was not just
certain how, a wrong had been done him.
Uncle Ben lost no time, once the meal had been eaten, in setting out on
the voyage, and indeed it was necessary to start early if he counted on
doing all his shopping and returning before dark.
"If it should so happen, which I don't think likely, that Eliakim takes
it inter his head to come over here to-day, don't get up a row with him,
'cause he ain't worth it," the old man said warningly as he pushed off
the dory and took up the oars.
"But you don't count that we're to stand 'round with our fingers in our
mouths an' let him do whatever comes inter his ugly head, do yer?" Mr.
Rowe asked sharply.
"I'm allowin' that you'll look after things same as if they was your
own, an' they really are so long as you're members of the family. What I
mean is, that you are to get along without callin' names or otherwise
talkin' rough."
"All right, I'll see to that part of it," Reuben replied grimly. "I'd
thump his head with an oar an' not open my mouth."
"Now, now, Reuben, remember that a soft answer turneth away wrath."
"It may with some, but not sich as Eliakim Doak. I'm noticin' that your
answers wasn't so soft yesterday."
"He'd got all haired up when I come ashore, an' wasn't in the mood to
listen except to somethin' harsh."
"Well, don't get to worryin', Uncle Ben; I'll see to it that we don't
have a big row, though if one does come, you can make up your mind
Eliakim won't want to neighbor on Apple Island for quite a spell, 'cause
I'll do the job up brown."
Uncle Ben was forced to content himself with this promise, because he
could not well afford to spend any more time discussing the matter. He
had a long voyage before him, with no slight amount of work to be done
after arriving at Southport, and it was necessary he took full advantage
of the morning breeze.
It would not be time for the boys to haul the traps until nearly noon,
therefore Mr. Rowe set them to work digging sand on the starboard side
of the "Sally," and when it was time to look after the pots all the
timbers had been put in place.
"Now I reckon we can afford to take our time," Mr. Rowe said in a tone
of satisfaction, as he wiped the perspiration from his face. "The
'Sally' won't sink any deeper, an' we can get at the job of puttin' her
inter proper trim 'cordin' as the fancy strikes us."
"Do you believe she can be launched without hiring a steamer?" Tommy
asked incredulously.
"Of course she can! though we don't allow to do anythin' in that line
till the hull is sound, an' the 'Sally' less of a sieve than she has
been these two years past. But there's no call for you to stand 'round
here chinnin'. It's time to look after the traps, an' when you get back
I'll have a few chores that you can do."
Mr. Rowe's "chores" were what other people might have called downright
hard work, as the lads learned when they came back from the traps,
feeling unusually jolly because the catch had been large; but they did
not complain, for however severe the labor it was much the same as play
when they thought of what was to come after the last blow had been
struck.
Bread and butter with plenty of clear, cold water to wash it down served
as the noon-day meal, and it was thus frugal because Mr. Rowe had
suggested that the cook prepare a regular dinner at night, when Uncle
Ben would be there to enjoy it.
Fortunately, Captain Doak did not take it into his head to visit Apple
Island that day and the "chores" were not done until late in the
afternoon, when Mr. Rowe said with the air of one who is content with
what he has accomplished:
"I reckon we can afford to knock off now, lads, for we've put in a good
many hours since Uncle Ben began hustlin' 'round this mornin'. Tommy an'
I'll catch a nice mess of cunners while Sam is gettin' ready to fry 'em.
By the time supper's ready the old man oughter be here."
Soon all three were so intent on these duties that they gave no heed to
anything else, and before either had thought of watching for Uncle Ben's
return, the dory was at the mouth of the little harbor. It was Sam who
made the discovery that the old lobster catcher was so near, and he
announced the fact in a tone of surprise:
"Here's Uncle Ben, an' we ain't half ready for him! My! but he has got
a full cargo, an'---- Say, who is that with him?"
Reuben and Tommy, having caught as many cunners as would be needed for
supper, were cleaning them when Sam cried out, and after one glance
seaward Mr. Rowe shouted:
"Now what's in the wind? Do you reckon he had to find somebody to help
pull the dory?"
"If that's so, he wasn't very fussy 'bout what he took. The chap in the
bow looks as if he had been livin' on wind puddin' for the last couple
of weeks!" Tommy said, speaking in a low tone lest the words be
overheard, for already was the bow of the dory grating on the beach.
The cause of these comments was a very small and very hungry looking boy
who was perched up on the cargo, which had been piled two or more feet
above the gunwale, and was now staring at the scene before him with eyes
that seemed many sizes too large for his thin face.
"Now why do you s'pose the old man has brought home that little monkey?"
Mr. Rowe said half to himself, making no move toward going to the shore,
and Sam, a moment later, cried as if believing he had made an important
discovery:
"I know what's up! Uncle Ben has found a new member of the family!
Come on, let's go down an' see him. Say, but ain't he been playin' in
hard luck!" and Sam, followed by Tommy and Mr. Rowe, ran at full speed
to the shore.
"I was kinder wonderin' why you didn't lend a hand at unloadin' this
boat," Uncle Ben said laughingly as he scrambled ashore with the little
stranger in his arms. "Kinder s'prised at seein' this present I've
brought yer, eh? Wa'al, what do you think of that?" and the old man
gently dropped the strange boy, who looked almost like a baby, on the
sand.
"Who is he? Where'd you find him?" Sam cried, going shyly up to the
stranger, who stood silent and motionless, as if not quite decided
whether to laugh or cry.
"His name is Joey Sampson; he's been livin' out at the poor farm, an'
the s'lectmen got so mighty economical they cooked up the idee Southport
couldn't afford to feed him any longer, so was countin' on sendin' the
poor little creeter down to St. Johns, where somebody said his father's
cousin lived. Never tried to find out if that 'ere cousin would take
him in or not, but jest allowed to ship him off. I told 'em I'd adopt
the child as a new member of my family, an' they was mighty glad to get
rid of him. Wa'al, Joey, what do you think of Apple Island?"
"It's a pretty place, sir," the little stranger said in a tearful voice,
and straightway Sam's heart went out to him.
"It's better than pretty, Joey," he said, taking the little fellow in
his arms, for, as Mr. Rowe afterward declared, "he wasn't bigger'n a
shirt button." "If the only home you've had has been the poor farm,
you'll soon come to know that you was mighty lucky when Uncle Ben run
across your track. Here's Tommy, an' Mr. Rowe, an' me, who hadn't any
home till we were given the chance to stay here, an' it's a mighty
comfortable place, with the best man for the head of the family that
ever lived, as you'll find out before bein' here many days."
"There, there, Sammy," Uncle Ben interrupted, "have done with your fairy
tales. Take Joey up to the shanty, an' the rest of us will tote what of
the stuff needs to go under cover. Supper ready?"
"It will be in five minutes, for then the biscuit'll be done," and away
Sam ran toward the shanty, petting Joey as if he was really the baby he
looked to be. "You'll get on here famously," he said when they were
come to the building, "for it'll only be a case of settin' still an'
seein' yourself grow fat. Then when our schooner is afloat what great
times you'll have fishin'!"
"Do you s'pose your Uncle Ben will let me stay here very long?" the
little lad asked wistfully.
"Of course he will, else you wouldn't have been brought here. He's
buildin' up a family out of jest sich lonesome boys as you an' me, an'
you've come here to be part of it. Camp down in my bunk while I look
after the supper, for I'm the cook, an' keep on thankin' your lucky
stars that Uncle Ben happened to see you at the right time. How long
have you been at the poor farm?"
"Ever since I can remember."
"Did you like it out there?"
"It wasn't very nice," Joey replied timidly, and Sam added emphatically:
"I'll bet it wasn't, though there was one spell when I thought it would
be a good deal better than livin' aboard the 'Sally D.' with Cap'en Doak
ugly a good deal more'n half the time. Did you ever see that cousin
down in St. Johns?"
"I never knew there was one till Deacon Stubbs said it was a shame a big
boy like me should be eatin' the bread of idleness, when I had blood
relations that were next door to rollin' in luxury."
"Well, was you idle?"
"I did everything they told me--lugged in the wood, split the kindlings,
drove the cows to pasture, an' brought in the water----"
"An' that's what they call eatin' the bread of idleness!" Uncle Ben
cried as he entered with his arms full of packages, which he laid in one
of the bunks, and, taking Joey in his arms, seated himself by the
window. "Look out there at our schooner, sonny boy! Some day she'll be
layin' at anchor, as trim a craft as ever floated, an' then you shall
walk the quarter-deck like any cap'en, while we do the drudgery. You're
one of the family now, Joey, an' I'm countin' that all hands will come
to love you as much as I've found time to do already. You're a wee mite
of a thing, an' it's a baby we've been needin' to make things
ship-shape, so that's the berth you've dropped inter. Now then, Sammy,
get them biscuit out, for I reckon our Joey is mighty sharkish, seein's
he hasn't had any dinner, an' come to think of it, neither have I, for
that matter."
Mr. Rowe came into the shanty on tiptoe, as if thinking he must be very
quiet while Uncle Ben was holding the "baby," and Tommy, who followed
him, said laughingly: "You'd think Joey was a reg'lar kid, by the way
Mr. Rowe moves 'round. But say, don't it make things look better to see
sich a little shaver here!"
Joey would have been very hard to please if the greeting he received in
his new home had not soothed his heart, and by the time Uncle Ben made a
"high chair" by putting a buoy on one of the stools and covering it with
an old fish-net, he appeared to be in the best of spirits.
"A month of this kind of livin', with plenty of fresh air an' nobody to
talk 'bout the bread of idleness, will make a new man of you, Joey,"
Uncle Ben said when the tiny lad, unable to swallow another mouthful,
slipped down from the fish-net cushion. "I'm allowin' to set here in
stormy weather, when there's nothin' to be done outside, an' jest watch
you grow fat."
*CHAPTER XVI*
*"THE BABY"*
If, when Uncle Ben started for the Port on the trip when he found Joey
Sampson, Sam and Tom had been told that anything could happen on Apple
Island which might turn the least little portion of their attention from
the schooner they would have said indignantly that it was not possible,
and yet not only the two lads, but even Mr. Rowe, soon came to think
that the new, tiny member of the family was more interesting than the
work of wrecking.
On the morning after Joey's arrival Uncle Ben insisted on being allowed
to wash the dishes and set the house to rights, claiming that it might
be better for Sam and Tom to spend all the time possible, before the
hour came for hauling the traps, helping Mr. Rowe, and Sam said almost
jealously, when he followed the others out of the shanty very shortly
after daybreak:
"I really believe Uncle Ben is willin' to do the housework this mornin',
so's he can watch Joey! But say, I don't blame him a little bit, for
that baby is mighty cute!"
"It's goin' to be a big thing for us to have him 'round here," Tom
replied reflectively. "Jest as soon as Uncle Ben gets through foolin'
with him we'll take the little shaver out in the dory to let him see us
haul in the lobsters----"
"You won't do any sich risky thing!" Mr. Rowe said, emphatically.
"Don't get the wild idee inter your heads that you can take the baby out
in a dory 'less Uncle Ben or I go with you. 'Cordin' to the looks of
the schooner, we haven't got to keep so terribly sharp at the work of
floatin' her, now we've put the timbers in place, an' it may be that I
can go out with you a spell this forenoon, so's to let Joey see what
lobsterin' is like."
If one could judge by the expression which came over the faces of the
lads when Mr. Rowe thus made it plain that he intended to have a full
share of the "baby's" company, they were not particularly well pleased
with this announcement, nor did they continue the subject further.
There was plenty of work before them, now that Uncle Ben had brought
from Southport the needed materials, and the three set about it with a
will during a full hour, when it seemed much as if they had lost
interest, for then Uncle Ben came down to the shore leading Joey by the
hand, and straightway each of the laborers appeared to believe he was
called upon to entertain the new member of the family.
Uncle Ben stretched himself lazily on the sand as if it pleased him
wondrously well to watch the "baby," while Mr. Rowe introduced him to
the "Sally D.," even carrying him on board upon his shoulders, and,
seeing Sam and Tommy wistfully watching the movements of the two, the
old man said encouragingly:
"If you boys want to play with Joey, why don't you do it? I reckon, now
that Reuben has got these famous timbers of his in place, there ain't
any good reason why you shouldn't take things easy, an' the baby hasn't
had any too comfortable a time in this world but that he'll take to a
bit of sport with you."
Mr. Rowe was clambering down over the bow of the schooner as Uncle Ben
thus spoke, and one might almost have fancied that he was displeased
with the proposition which would prevent him from sharing in the romp.
He said quickly to the lad who was yet seated on his shoulder:
"How would it strike you if we went over to look at the lobster car?"
"You can't see anythin' there, Joey," Tommy cried enticingly. "Come
with Sam an' me; we'll roll up our trousers an' go in wadin'."
The little lad from the poorhouse scrambled down from Mr. Rowe's
shoulder, eager to accept the invitation, and the former "crew" of the
"Sally D." could do no less than seat himself by Uncle Ben's side,
saying in an apologetic tone as he did so:
"I s'pose, when you come right down to facts, that I'm a leetle too old
to be playin' with a lot of youngsters; but it seems so mighty good to
have a baby like him cavortin' 'round, that I can't help wantin' to have
a hand in the fun myself."
"I don't blame you, Reuben, I don't blame you a little bit, for I've
been feelin' a good deal that way myself this mornin'. To have a little
shaver like Joey tumblin' 'round, makes it seem as if we'd really
started a family, an' if things go along as smooth as they oughter, what
with the schooner, an' all these 'ere youngsters, the rest of my days
will be spent in havin' a good time watchin' the rest of you runnin' the
island. Look at that baby, will yer! Ain't it doin' him a world of
good to be paddlin' in the water? I'm allowin' that when we got hold of
him it was a good deal better trade than buyin' the schooner."
As a matter of fact, Joey Sampson so occupied the attention of all the
"family" that when the hour of noon came around, and no more than sixty
minutes had been spent in work on the "Sally," Mr. Rowe said half to
himself, but yet speaking so loud that Uncle Ben could hear the words:
"He's a mighty smart baby, an' I'm glad he's goin' to live here on the
island; but there's got to be some rules an' regerlations 'bout playin'
with him, or watchin' others do it, else it'll be winter before we're
ready to launch the schooner."
"I reckon you're right, Reuben," Uncle Ben said with a long-drawn sigh,
"an' I'm goin' to draw a line on myself right away; but at the same time
I don't know when I've enjoyed myself more'n I have this forenoon. As
for the baby! Look at him rollin' over in the sand! At a moderate
guess I'd say he'd fatted up a full half-pound since mornin'."
It was quite a long time, however, before Uncle Ben was able to "draw a
line" upon himself to the extent of treating the "baby" like an ordinary
member of the family. It was not until the old lobster catcher had
taken him out in the dory that he might see the boys haul the traps, and
that Mr. Rowe had given him an afternoon of pleasure on board the
stranded schooner, and Sam and Tom had carried him to the grove in the
centre of the island, that the regular routine of work was taken up once
more.
Then all hands labored with a will to make up for the time spent in
amusement, although each night, for at least half an hour after supper,
Uncle Ben insisted on holding the "baby" on his knee while Sam and Tom
washed the dishes and set the house to rights generally.