PREPARATIONS.
AS soon as they got back into town, Mr. Driver hunted up the man of
whom he had spoken, and, introducing him to each of the little party,
hurried back to his store.
Mr. Williams was a young man still in his twenties. He was a stocky,
well-built young fellow with an intelligent face, determined manner,
and a short, crisp way of speaking. He sized up the little party with
one quick appraising glance as Captain Westfield stated their errand.
"If you are not willing to stand hardships, dirt, discomfort, and
danger, you want nothing to do with sponging," he declared.
"We can stand anything that it pays us to stand," Charley replied,
quickly.
"Well, that's the right kind of spirit," approved the young man, "but,
of course you don't any of you realize what you will have to meet. I've
seen others start in with the same confidence and get cold feet before
the first trip was over. It isn't any nice, ladies' pink-tea business.
It's a game for real men, but if the men are the right kind, they
get their reward for what they endure, all right, all right. I landed
here with an empty pocket and emptier stomach, and now,--well, I am
not a John D. Rockefeller yet, but I've got enough laid by to keep the
wolf from the door for a good many years. Better men than I have done
better than I have. It's like everything else, the best man wins, and
wins something worth winning, but, as I have said, it's no business for
nice, tender, little Willie boys, it's a man's game."
Charley grinned in sympathy with the reliant, independent spirit of the
young fellow which was close kin to his own traits. "We left off our
short pants last summer," he observed, gravely, "we are fast learning
to dress ourselves, and the Captain there can even comb his own hair."
"Good," chuckled the other, "I guess _you_ will pass muster anyway, so
I will give you some idea of what you will have to expect. First, there
is the loneliness. For three months at a time you'll be at sea without
another soul to talk to, for there are very few of the Greeks who speak
English. With a party like yours it would not be so bad for you would
be company for each other, but for the American captains who go out
alone with a crew of Greeks, it's awful. I've known some to go crazy
for sheer loneliness, and few ever make a second trip,--I'll never
forget my first experience. Second, sponging is a dirty business, the
stench from dying sponges will upset any but the strongest stomachs.
Third, there are the dangers, storms, accidents, and troubles with the
crew. I have never had any serious trouble with my own men, but then I
understand their lingo and that counts for a good deal, and, besides
they all know me around here and know that I will shoot first and
explain afterwards--that counts for still more."
"All that is interesting, but it ain't to the pint," said Captain
Westfield. "The question is what can one make off a trip. I reckon them
little things you're telling about is just details."
"I'm afraid you'll find them pretty serious details," Mr. Williams
said with a laugh, "but you are right, the money point is the main
thing. That's the only thing that has kept me in the business. Well, I
had considerable _bad_ luck last trip but I cleaned up three thousand
dollars. I've been doing better than that."
The chums looked at each other with expressive faces while Mr.
Williams' keen black eyes twinkled as he watched them.
"I seed a schooner down at the harbor," observed Captain Westfield,
carelessly. "She was a pretty looking little craft and her name just
seemed to fit her--'The Beauty'. If she's good an' sound an' for sale,
I might be willing to give a thousand dollars for her."
Mr. Williams laughed, "You are not the first sailor who has fallen
in love with the 'Beauty'. She is the finest ever. She has led the
sponging fleet for three seasons. Many have tried to buy her but
couldn't. You are in luck, however. Her owner died last week and I have
just received a letter from his widow asking me to find a purchaser for
her. You can have her as she lays for thirteen hundred dollars, and she
is dirt cheap at that."
"Will you hold that offer open until ten o'clock to-night?" asked the
captain, "we will want to talk it all over a bit."
Mr. Williams agreed to his request, and, after thanking him gratefully
for his information, the little party took their departure.
"Back to the harbor," said the captain as soon as they were out of
hearing. "I want to take a good look at the 'Beauty'. If she is
anyway near as good as she looks from a distance she's worth at least
twenty-five hundred dollars. Why we could make a tidy sum by buying
her, sailing her around to Jacksonville, and selling her again."
They soon arrived at the harbor again where for a quarter they hired a
young Greek to row them out to the schooner.
They found the little vessel all that her name implied. She was about
sixty-five feet long and broad for her length. She looked more like a
gentleman's yacht than a sponging vessel and they were all delighted
with her appearance. But pleased as they were with her on deck, they
were even more pleased with her below. There, they found a large
main cabin with swinging lamps, hanging sideboard, easy chairs, and
comfortable furnishings. Opening into the main cabin were found roomy
staterooms, two on a side, furnished with large bunks containing
springy mattresses. Instead of the small portholes, common with crafts
of her size, each stateroom was provided with windows of heavy glass to
admit air and light.
Up forward at the foremast was the forecastle, or crew's quarters. It
was large, comfortable and well equipped with bunks. Aft of it was
the cook's galley, containing a good stove and plenty of pots, pans
and kettles. Everything was exquisitely neat and clean. But Captain
Westfield was not content with a mere survey of cabin and furnishings.
He unfurled several of the sails and examined the canvas closely. He
tested the strength of rope after rope. He climbed aloft and looked
over blocks, stays, and running gear. Lastly, he descended into the
hold and examined all that was visible of the vessel's ribs and
planking.
"She's as tidy a little craft as I ever saw," he declared, when he at
last rejoined the boys back by the wheel. "She ain't over six years old
an' her sails an' rigging are all new. She's worth twenty-five hundred
dollars of any man's money if she's worth a cent. All we have got to
do it to buy her and carry her around to some lively port an' we can
make twelve hundred dollars as easy as finding it."
"What's the use of selling her right off if we buy her," Walter
suggested, "Surely a few months' use will not lessen her value to any
great extent. Why not make a couple of trips sponging in her. I am
anxious to have a try for some of that big money they all talk about.
We will never have a better chance than now. At the worst, we would
only lose the price of a few months' provisions, we would still have
our vessel worth far more than we paid for her."
"You've hit the nail right on the head," the captain exclaimed,
delightedly. "That's just what I've been studying over, but I reckoned
I'd wait an' see if either of you boys proposed it."
Charley hesitated before agreeing to his chum's proposal. "I confess,
I am not so anxious to try the sponge business as I was," he remarked.
"First, we know nothing about it ourselves, and would have to depend
entirely upon hired help--which is a bad thing to have to do in
any business. Second, I don't like the Greeks, I don't like their
appearances, I don't like the reputation they have, and I don't like
the idea of being with a gang that doesn't understand English."
"Bosh," Walter replied, lightly, "we will get along all right with
them. It isn't like one lone man being out with them, there are four
of us and they wouldn't dare start trouble with so many. As for making
them understand, why we can hire a man as interpreter. I believe it's
the best chance to make money we've had yet."
"And I too," Captain Westfield agreed. "I reckon we'd be foolish to
let such a chance slip by. That young fellow Williams says he's made
considerable."
"But he made several trips and learned the business before he went into
it on his own hook," Charley objected. "However, I am not going to hold
back if the rest of you want to try it."
"Good," exclaimed the captain, "we will go right back and settle the
deal with Williams. We'll make money off the schooner if we don't off
the sponging."
They found Mr. Williams still in his office. The thirteen hundred
dollars was paid over and they received a bill of sale for the
'Beauty', one diving boat and everything the schooner contained.
"You've got a good boat at a mighty low price," he said. "There is no
reason why you shouldn't make well with her, if you just use common
sense. Doubtless, you have heard lots of hard things about the Greeks,
but I don't believe they are half as bad as they are painted. Half of
the trouble captains have with them comes from their not understanding
each other. Get a reliable man to translate your orders, and you will
get along all right although you will find it a hard life. I wish I
could help you select your crew but I have to go to Tampa to-morrow,
and will not be back until the fleet sails. We will see each other
again on the sponging grounds, if not before. I wish you the best of
luck until we meet."
The now tired little party bade the hustling young man good-bye and
repaired to the small hotel where they engaged rooms and meals.
After supper Charley unpacked his valise and got out the silver-mounted
revolver presented to him by Mr. Weston. He noted its calibre and
sauntering down to the hardware store purchased several boxes of
cartridges of a size to fit. He gave a couple of boxes to Walter who
possessed the exact duplicate of his weapon.
"That's my first preparation for our trip," he said laughing.
But, although he spoke lightly, he was troubled by vague misgivings
that their new venture was not going to be the smooth sailing his
companions believed. For one thing, he doubted if rough, blunt,
quick-tempered Captain Westfield was just the man to successfully
handle the suave, oily, treacherous Greeks.