Part 8

*A WAR OF WORDS*

"I want you boys to know that I ain't afraid of Eliakim Doak, when it's only my own skin that's to be hurt, nor of any four men like him," Mr. Rowe said as he continued to throw up the sand. "It's only 'cause I'm afraid he may contrive to keep us on edge till the tide comes up an' puts things in bad shape. If we can get these 'ere timbers down shipshape, before he pulls in, I'll be ready to give him a full dose. Jump to it, lads, for every shovelful counts jest now!"

There was little need to urge the boys to further exertions; they could understand full well how important it was, unless they were willing to lose what had already been done, to push the work to the utmost, and never for a single instant did they even look seaward, although both were curious to know how rapidly the enemy was approaching.

It was fortunate for Uncle Ben's "family" that Captain Doak did not take it into his head to leave Southport any earlier in the day, for he was nearly half a mile from the cove when, with a cry of triumph, Mr. Rowe laid the last timber in place, as he said grimly:

"Now let the old heathen come; we're ready for him," and he literally scraped the perspiration from his face.

"It'll be quite a spell yet before he gets here," and Tom straightened himself slowly, as if with difficulty after remaining in a bent position so long. "What I'm keen to know is, how much better off we are after puttin' these logs down? The schooner lays jest as she did before."

"Ay, lad, an' lucky for you she didn't heel over while we were workin' so far under the hull. I'll admit that it don't look now as if we'd done very much for her comfort; but after the tide comes up, an' the water swashes back an' forth for a spell, you'll see her lay over like a tired man, an' unless I'm way out of my reckonin', she'll be restin' the biggest part of her weight on the logs by mornin'. Then it's only a matter of workin' the other side like this. After that's been done, we know for a fact that she can't settle any further inter the sand, an' it'll only need a couple of smooth planks with a few wedges, to slide her off when we're ready."

"I hope it'll work; but I can't figger out how," Sam said in perplexity, and before Mr. Rowe's mirth, which had been aroused by the expression on the boy's face, was abated, Captain Doak ran his dory up on the shore within a dozen yards of where the "Sally D." lay.

"What's goin' on here?" he cried angrily, and as if it surprised him to see any one at work near the schooner.

"We're tryin' to stop the old hooker from buryin' herself in the sand," Mr. Rowe replied without any show of anger; but Tom noted with no little satisfaction that the former "crew" of the "Sally" held his shovel firmly in his right hand, as if thinking it might be needed for a weapon.

"What right have you to be foolin' 'round her?" and Captain Doak rose to his feet threateningly, whereupon Mr. Rowe stepped a few paces nearer the bow of the vessel to where he could clamber on board without difficulty.

"I haven't turned her over to Ben Johnson, an' p'rhaps I shall change my mind 'bout lettin' her go, 'specially at the ridiculous price he bid."

"You gave him a clear bill of sale!" Mr. Rowe cried angrily, and the two boys ranged themselves on either side of him, as if believing they would soon be called upon to take part in defending the property of the "family."

"I may have been crazy enough to give a bill of sale, but till I say the word he ain't got any right to fool 'round her. An' I warn you here an' now, Rube Rowe, that if you so much as lay your hand on that craft I'll sue you for trespass, if so be I ain't on the spot to knock your two eyes inter one!" and Captain Doak stepped out from the dory in what both Sam and Tom thought was a threatening manner.

"Hold on, Eliakim Doak, an' don't take the chance of makin' the biggest mistake of your life!" Mr. Rowe said impressively. "You haven't got old Uncle Ben here to deal with. I don't keep soft words for sich as I know you to be. I'm in charge of this 'ere island, likewise the schooner that has been bought an' paid for, an' it'll be the sickest day's work you ever did to kick up a row jest now. What'er you here for, anyhow?"

"I came to get my things outer the cabin, an' to settle on whether I'd let her go at any price----"

"The last part of it has been settled already, an' that you know very well, Eliakim Doak, 'less you're willin' to admit you're a bigger dummy than I ever allowed you was. Uncle Ben has said that you could have what things are in the cabin, though if I'd bought the schooner as she lays, it would be a long, cold day before you'd take the value of a fish-scale away from her."

"We'll see 'bout that part of it," said Captain Doak.

"We've seen about it already! I'll throw out what stuff Uncle Ben allowed you could take away, an' then you'll make a quick move from this 'ere island, or I'll know the reason why," and with the agility of a monkey Mr. Rowe clambered aboard the stranded vessel.

Captain Doak stepped forward as if about to make an attack, but seeing Sam and Tom near the bow with shovels ready to be used as weapons, he wisely concluded to remain on the beach, contenting himself by shouting:

"I'll have the law on you if a single thing in that 'ere cabin is touched!"

In reply to this threat came a shower of oilskins, followed by the rusty musket and a quantity of battered tin dishes.

"Shove that stuff aboard your craft, an' I'll send down some more," Mr. Rowe cried with a grin as he leaned over the rail. "It's a certain thing, Eliakim, that you ain't to be allowed to board this 'ere schooner, for I wouldn't trust you as far as I could sling a mule by the ear, if there was any chance to do mischief!"

"I'll stay where I am till I get good an' ready, an' you ain't the man who can make me move! I've got rights that I'm goin' to have----"

"The only rights you've got 'round here is to get inter that dory, an' keep beyond low water mark!" Mr. Rowe cried as if in a fury of rage, and the two lads were actually frightened when they saw him leap over the rail with an oar raised over his shoulder threateningly. "Now take that dunnage inter yer boat, or get in without it, else----"

"Reuben! Reuben!" came in placid tones from over the water, and, looking up, the lads saw Uncle Ben pulling slowly toward the island.

"If he hadn't got back quite so soon I declare I'd have damaged you some with this oar!" Mr. Rowe cried savagely, as he swung the weapon menacingly in front of Captain Doak until he could do no less than beat a slow retreat toward his boat.

Then the war of words ceased until the old lobster catcher ran his dory ashore and stepped out on the beach as if it was the most natural thing in the world to see Captain Doak on Apple Island.

"Have you been havin' any trouble with the cap'en, Reuben?" he asked, and Mr. Rowe, so angry that the words came like a torrent, replied by repeating what the former owner of the "Sally D." had said.

"There is no reason, Reuben, why you should get so disturbed over it, for the sale was open an' legal. Eliakim took from me the money I bid, and gave a lawful bill of sale. It is only right that he should have what belongings are in the cabin, for I didn't count them as goin' with the schooner."

"Wa'al, he's got 'em, hasn't he?" Mr. Rowe cried, pointing to the assortment of goods on the sand. "I don't allow that he shall step his foot on board the 'Sally,' for nobody knows how much mischief sich as he'd be willin' to do when he's in one of his ugly tantrums."

"I'm not allowin' he shall go on board," Uncle Ben said in such a firm tone that the boys looked at him in surprise. "He can name over what he claims, an' then leave the island, else I'll start for the Port. What'll be done after I get there he knows full well."

Captain Doak appeared to be quite as much surprised as were the boys; but it was not in his nature to give in beaten until absolutely obliged so to do, and he cried hotly:

"I'll do as I please----"

"We'll see about that!" and Reuben advanced with upraised oar. "I didn't think it was in Uncle Ben to take sich a strong stand; but it seems that he's got considerable backbone after all, which is apt to be the way with these soft-spoken folks. You're to leave, an' do it mighty quick, without another word, or I'll let this oar drop!"

To the surprise of all, even including Mr. Rowe, Captain Doak selected a 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?"