Part 14

The old lobster catcher could not well refuse to join in the plans which had been made by the people of Southport, more particularly since they had been arranged with a view to the benefit of himself and the "family," and by the time Mr. Mansfield and Deacon Stubbs had come to the end of an exceedingly hearty breakfast Uncle Ben was on deck helping to take aboard the first load of furniture.

The three boys were in high spirits at the prospect of deep-sea fishing, as well as not a little pleased at the idea of having the new house entirely furnished, and a jolly time they had while aiding in taking on board the cargo.

"Things are goin' to be mighty fine over on Apple Island," Tommy said, as he stood gazing in open-mouthed admiration at a well-worn bureau on which was painted in gaudy colors certain objects intended to represent flowers. "Mother Sharkey used to think she had a terrible swell place, but there wasn't anythin' in her house that could hold a candle to this!"

"Did you see the chairs that Mr. Mansfield sent inter the hold?" little Joey screamed. "Every one of 'em shined as if it had jest come outer the shop! Of course, we won't get a chance to sit on 'em; but they'll be mighty good to look at!"

"I'll bet we can do more'n look!" Tommy cried emphatically. "These things are all for the new house, an' it don't stand to reason we'd have to sit on the floor jest 'cause they was too fine!"

The boys found something to admire in every piece of furniture which was put aboard; but when baskets filled with dishes and cooking utensils were sent over the rail, Sam could not control his surprise and delight.

"We're goin' to be fixed up like reg'lar swells! Jest think how the table will look when we have real crockery dishes on it! Talk 'bout cookin'! If a feller can't spread hisself with all them things to use, he oughter bag his head!"

The "Sally D.'s" cargo was not on board until nearly noon, when no less than twenty women and men came over the rail to be taken to the island, and a merry crew they made. Little Joey had never been petted to such an extent in all his short life, while Sam and Tom received quite as much attention as if they had been freaks straight from a dime museum, instead of very ordinary boys.

Not until nearly nightfall did the schooner come to anchor in the cove opposite "Uncle Ben's Retreat," and then was begun the more arduous labor of sending the house furnishings ashore, for it was necessary to load everything into the dories, and, afterward, carry it up to the new house.

While this was being done Sam and Tommy hauled the traps, and when this was finished, at a late hour in the night, the men of Southport were yet engaged in the work of unloading the "Sally."

"You lads are to turn in right away, an' try to get some sleep," Uncle Ben said when the boys had come aboard tired with the heavy work of attending to the traps. "Deacon Stubbs allows that we oughter get under way for fishin' bright an' early in the mornin', an you'll have to look after the breakfast. We're likely to be out a couple of days, an' the lobster catchin' must be neglected all that time."

It was not very much of a task for the boys to journey over into Dreamland once they were in the bunks, and it really seemed as if they had but just closed their eyes in slumber when Mr. Rowe aroused them with the announcement that it was time to "get breakfast under way."

The women of Southport slept in the new house on this first night, and there were no tokens that any of them had awakened when the schooner, with her very large crew, left the cove within five minutes after Sam and Tom had been awakened that they might begin the work of cooking.

Little Joey, to his great delight, had been allowed to make one of the "Sally D.'s" crew on this occasion, but neither he nor the other boys saw very much of the fishing. The table in the cabin was so small that no more than six could sit around it at one time, therefore the meals were served "in sections," as Mr. Rowe said, and since Joey played the part of waiter, he and the cooks were kept busy very nearly all the time.

"Don't fret 'cause you can't have a line in your hand," Mr. Rowe said when he came below for a mug of coffee after the "Sally" had arrived at the fishing grounds. "You'll see enough of that kind of work 'twixt now an' next spring, an' with sich a gang aboard there's neither comfort nor pleasure to be had."

"Have they caught any fish yet?" Joey asked.

"Bless your heart, lad, they've been at it this half hour, an' if it's kept up at the same rate, we're likely to have by night all that can be cared for."

In this Mr. Rowe was right. Before sunset the men of Southport were weary with the sport, and Uncle Ben declared that it would not be possible for his family to cure any more at one time. Therefore it was that the "Sally's" bow was turned toward Apple Island when the shadows of evening began to gather, and there were no signs of the coming day when she glided into Apple Island cove as silently as a ghost.

The next forenoon was spent in dressing the fish ready for curing; but Sam and Tom were not called upon to do their share of the disagreeable work, owing to the fact that they were sent out immediately after breakfast to haul the traps, and when this labor had been performed the ceremony of warming the new house was begun.

"Go in an' see what she looks like, with the swellest kind of fixin's in every room," Mr. Rowe said, when the boys pulled in from the lobster car to the beach. "You wanter go inter every room so's to get a sweep of the whole layout, an' I'm allowin' you never saw anythin' like it."

"Will they let us go in?" Joey asked doubtfully.

"Let you? Why, ain't it your home, same as it's mine? Did you allow that we was to camp on the shore, an' keep the house only to look at? Of course you can go in, an' when you come to the room jest over the kitchen that's been fixed up for our two cooks, I reckon you'll puff up the size of four ordinary boys."

"A whole room for only us two?" Sam cried incredulously.

"That's what, an' it ain't any almshouse room either! There's a reg'lar bed with all the fixin's, an' what do you say to a whole lookin'-glass?"

The boys could wait to hear no more, but ran at full speed until they came to that same room, where they stood in speechless astonishment a full minute, after which Tom cried:

"Talk about it! It's the finest ever! An' to think that we wouldn't had it but for Uncle Ben! Say, Sam, we're a couple of lucky chaps, eh? Who'd ever thought I'd come to this?"

Not until little Joey came and literally dragged them away did the boys cease to admire the apartment intended for the use of the cooks, and then, under the guidance of the "baby," they explored the entire house, finding something in every room to excite wonder and admiration, until having come to the kitchen with its apparent wealth of cooking utensils, when Sam spoke for the first time since entering the building.

"Mr. Rowe said the Southport folks only counted on givin' us what they had on hand an' couldn't use any longer! If this stuff wasn't good enough for 'em, they oughter tried to get along with Cap'en Doak's layout for a couple of days! What does Uncle Ben say about it?"

"He's been right there in the sittin'-room this ever so long, actin' as if he didn't know what to say," little Joey replied. "It seems almost as if he was sorry because it's so fine."

"I reckon he's feelin' kinder bad 'cause there ain't more boys here, now we've got such a swell home for 'em," Sammy said thoughtfully, and then he went down-stairs to put his face close to Uncle Ben's as he whispered, "I'm goin' to try mighty hard so's to let you see how glad I am you took me in."

"Bless your heart, sonny, there ain't a boy livin' who could do more to show that same than you've done ever since we two come together. It stands all of us in hand to show our gratitude, an' if you can find the rest of the family, I'd like for 'em to go off somewhere with me to thank the good Lord for His wondrous mercy an' lovin' kindness."

* * * * * *

About the housewarming? The people of Southport did that in their own way, making exceeding merry over it; but I'm of the belief that Uncle Ben and his family really "warmed" it when they went into one of the attic rooms and pledged their lives to the work of caring for those homeless lads whom they might meet.

Did the family increase in size? Perhaps some day it will be possible to tell of its famous growth; but just now you who are interested in it must be content to know that Uncle Ben has thirty-eight boys in the "Retreat," and Sam and Tommy are acting as cooks for all those hungry mouths, while Mr. Rowe still claims to be the commander of the "Sally D."