CHAPTER VI.--THE NEW FIRM.
If Budd, as he walked along toward Mr. Wright's, was filled with secretexultation at the happy turn in his affairs, it was, to say the least,pardonable. Bruised and sore though he was from his struggle with Mr.Benton, he had nevertheless, through the opportune interference of Mr.Wright, come off victor. With two months' pay in his pocket, and tendollars more for the assault to which he had been subjected, he was notdisposed to grumble; in fact he was quite ready to forgive the miserableman who had so ruthlessly attacked him. But there was one thing thatpiqued his curiosity and led him soon to say:
"There is something I would like to have you explain, Mr. Wright."
"What is it?" Mr. Wright asked, pleasantly.
"Why was Mr. Benton so docile in your presence? I should never havebelieved that he would have cowered down so to any man."
Mr. Wright laughed.
"There are several reasons for it," he said. "Tyrants are almost alwayscowards at heart, and Mr. Benton is no exception to the rule. Ten yearsago, when I came here, I was continually in trouble with him. First itwas my cattle; then my children; at last our boundary line. I caughthim one day actually setting over my fence. I remonstrated with him,and he, in his anger, struck me with his ox-lash. Snatching it from hishand, I whipped him until he begged for mercy. Of course he broughtsuit against me, and I brought a counter-suit. I was fortunate enoughto win both cases, and the costs and fines that he had to pay amountedto over one hundred dollars. I also had him put under heavy bonds tokeep the peace, and from that time have had no serious trouble with him.In fact he seems to both fear and respect me. Catching him to-night inthe very act of assaulting you gave me a decided advantage; and though Ihave doubtless gone beyond any real right I possessed in my dealing withhim, he was not in a condition to dispute it. You and I will have nofurther trouble with him."
But in this last assertion Mr. Wright was wrong, at least so far as Buddwas concerned.
On reaching the house, Mr. Wright opened the door and motioned Budd toenter, at the same time saying to his wife:
"Here, Sarah, can you find a place for this lad for awhile? I've takenhim out of Benton's clutches," and he related to her, in substance, thehappenings at his neighbor's farm.
"Oh, yes, I think so," the lady replied, giving Budd a hearty andmotherly welcome, which at once caused him to feel at home.
Budd was shown to a chamber, where he deposited his bundle. Though nolarger than the one he had occupied when at Mr. Benton's, and containingscarcely more furniture, there was nevertheless an air of comfort andneatness about it that awakened old and sweet memories in the boy'smind. A bright bit of carpet was on the floor, a white curtain was atthe open window, while snowy sheets and pillow-cases upon the bedsuggested sweet repose. Tears stood in the lad's eyes as he returneddown-stairs and tried to again thank Mr. Wright for the deep interest hehad shown in him, an entire stranger.
"Well, well," said Mr. Wright, not without some emotion; "I don't knowas I deserve any special thanks for what I have done. I couldn't leaveyou over there and have any peace of conscience. I don't know, any morethan you do, what the outcome of my act will be, so far as your futureis concerned. I would gladly hire you, but have now all the help Ineed. You are welcome, however, to stay here until you can find aplace. With what Benton has given you, you will be just as well offshould you not get work under a month. I've no fear but what you'll doenough to pay your board, and we will both keep an eye out for somethingsuitable for you to do."
Though Budd regretted greatly that Mr. Wright could not hire him, hegratefully accepted the arrangement proposed, and determined that hisbenefactor should have no cause to complain of either his want ofgratitude or willingness to be of help.
With this idea in mind he followed Mr. Wright out to the barn, andhelped him and his man do the chores. He seemed almost intuitively toknow what was the next thing to be done; and so pleased was Mr. Wrightwith his readiness and tact that he confided to his wife, that night,that he didn't know but they had better try and keep the lad. The verynext day, however, there was destined to come to Budd an opening whichwas to change measurably his life, and prove an important link in thesolution of the mystery which was apparently hanging over him.
He worked all the forenoon of the next day for Mr. Wright, but at thatgentleman's request went with him in the afternoon up to the village.
"Perhaps we shall be able to find some place for you," Mr. Wright hadsaid as they drove off.
Reaching the village, Mr. Wright left Budd to look out for the teamwhile he attended to some matters of business. As the lad sat in thewagon holding the horses Judd Floyd came hurriedly down the street onhis way toward the wharf. He had a market-basket on his arm filled withbundles, and had evidently been purchasing provisions to take over tohis island home. He readily espied Budd, and recognizing Mr. Wright'steam, suddenly stopped, remarking:
"Hello! changed masters, have you? Shows your wisdom. But tell usabout it."
Budd shook the speaker's extended hand warmly, and telling him to puthis basket into the wagon, and to get up on the seat, he gave him afaithful account of himself from the time he had left Judd on "TheHummocks" until he had now met him again.
"So you are out of a job," he remarked, as Budd concluded. "Now, isn'tthat jolly! You can come over to the island with me, and we'll go intothe fish and clam business together. I'll guarantee as good wages asyou were getting, and you'll be your own boss at the same time."
"Is that so?" asked Budd, with some show of interest.
"Of course it's so," replied Judd, with remarkable emphasis on the firsttwo words. "I've averaged fifty cents for every day I've been on theisland; and so can you, if you'll come. We ought to do better, for withtwo we can enlarge our business many ways."
"How's that?" asked Budd.
Before Judd could answer, Mr. Wright came back to the wagon. That ladeyed him a little apprehensively at first, evidently fearing lest hemight, as a member of the Town Board, call him to an account for hissudden disappearance from the shanty near the village a few days before.But Mr. Wright's words at once re-assured him, for he said:
"How do you do, Judd? I'm glad to see you, and to hear so good anaccount of you as Budd has given me." Then lowering his voice, so asnot to be heard by anyone passing, he added: "You need have no fear ofthe Town Board, my lad, as long as you show a disposition to beindustrious and take care of yourself. We wish you every success."
"He was just asking me to go over to the island and enter intopartnership with him," explained Budd; "he says I can make as much as Iwas getting from Mr. Benton."
"And not have half as rough an experience," Judd chimed in, with alaugh.
"How do you expect to make it, Judd?" Mr. Wright asked, a littledoubtingly.
"Selling fish and clams; taking out fishing-parties; doing odd jobs atthe watering-places," answered Judd, pithily. "There's money in it."
"Do you think so?" asked Budd of Mr. Wright.
"There may be," he answered, musingly. "Judd knows better than I do.Of course it is now a little late to hire out among the farmers. Youhave some money as capital. I'm not sure but you could, if prudent andindustrious, do as well at this as at anything else for the summermonths."
"Come along over to the island with me and stay to-night. If I don'tconvince you this thing is practicable, then I'll set you ashore at 'TheHummocks' in the morning, and you can go back to Mr. Wright's until youfind another job," said Judd, enthusiastically.
Mr. Wright laughed a little.
"Go on, Budd," he advised; "and if I can be of any help to either ofyou, call on me. All success to the new firm!"
Budd immediately leaped from the wagon, followed by Judd, and then thetwo boys went hastily down to the wharf where their boat was tied.Embarking therein, each took an oar and pulled for the island, theirminds brimful of the prospective partnership.
It was not, however, until the island was reached and supp
er eaten thatthe lads settled themselves for what they called their "business" talk.The sun was just setting; the air was soft and balmy; scarcely a ripplewas on the water. Taking seats upon the rocks south of the house, andwhere they could look for miles down the bay, they began theall-important conversation.
Budd was the first to speak.
"Here, Judd," he said, "let us begin at the very root of things. Whodoes this island belong to?"
"Why, I believe there are two or three parties claiming it," repliedJudd. "But why do you ask? It has always been regarded as commonproperty. Even the fellow that built the house here paid no rent for theisland."
"That has nothing to do with our case," interposed Budd, promptly. "Wemust have a right to be here--a right we can defend against all comers.Who are the proper parties to see about leasing the island."
"A Mr. Fowler, who lives near Mr. Wright, and two men named Scott, overin the western part of the town; but I don't believe they will object toour staying here, if Mr. Wright will see them about it."
"We will find out in the morning," Budd said, decisively, "and I'll markthat as the first item of business to attend to. Now as to our stock intrade. I have thirty dollars that can go in as my part of the capital.What can you furnish?"
Judd looked a little crestfallen, at his companion's words.
"Why," he said, "I can't put in much. I have the boat----"
"Which is worth how much?" interrupted Budd.
"Perhaps ten dollars," replied his partner, with a look ofencouragement. "It's a pretty good yawl; and then I have a little overfive dollars in money; that is all."
"No, it is not," Budd said. "How about the things over at the shanty?They are yours, are they not?"
"Yes; and as the shanty don't belong to pop, they ought to be moved. Ifwe get the island, we can bring everything over here, and set uphousekeeping in pretty decent style."
"Exactly," went on Budd, smilingly; "and while they are yours, I shallbe having the benefit of them, and that is worth considerable. Butthere is one thing you possess more valuable yet, and for which youought to have full allowance."
"What do you mean?" asked Judd, in wonder.
"Knowledge of the business," responded Budd. "I can row or sail aboat--have been used to that all my life; but I know nothing of thisbay, its fishing or clamming-grounds, and I am almost a stranger in thecommunity, while you are well known. Now, I'll tell you what I'm willingto do, though to my mind I shall have the best of the bargain. I'll putin my thirty dollars against your boat, your household goods, and yourfuller knowledge of the grounds on which we are to operate, and we'll beequal partners--provided, of course, we can hire the island. What doyou say?"
Judd arose from his seat with a sparkling face and crossed over to wherehis chum was sitting.
"Here's my hand on it; and I say, Budd, you are a brick," was his ratherambiguous but expressive answer.
Budd had caught something of his companion's enthusiasm, and withintense eagerness he continued:
"Now as to our plan of operations. In this you must be the chiefadviser."
"Thirty-five dollars in money as a basis," said Judd, slowly. "If weonly had a hundred, I would say invest in a fish-pound. As it is, wewill have to content ourselves with smaller operations at first. Agill-net would work nicely over in 'the narrows' at the south of 'TheHummocks,' and would cost about eight dollars. We must have that."
"How do you work it?" inquired Budd.
"It has large meshes, and you can stretch it right across 'the narrows,'fastening it to stakes on either side so as to keep it upright. Theleads on the lower edge keep that down to the bottom. We will set it atnight just at the turning of the tide to go out: then whatever fish areup the cove will come down against it, and more or less of them will gettheir heads through the meshes and be caught. Six hours after, the tidewill turn, and all fish going into the cove will come up against theopposite side, and some of them will be caught. In the morning we willpull it, and leave it up until the next night. We ought to get as manyfish that way as we can with our hooks--perhaps more; and thus we willhave a double quantity to dispose of," exclaimed Judd.
"Good!" exclaimed his comrade. "What next?"
"We must put in some lobster-pots also; but those we can make, and twodollars will buy all the necessary lumber. That will take ten dollars,and leave us twenty-five. With that we must buy the sloop Sea Witch,and then we can take out sailing or fishing-parties in good shape, aswell as make the wind do a large part of our work for us. It will savelots of time and labor, as well as add to our revenue."
"It can't be much of a boat for that money," remarked Budd.
"You wouldn't say so, if you had seen her," declared Judd. "She iseighteen feet long, has a small cabin, is rigged with sail and jib, andcost just seventy-five dollars last summer. She belongs to a rich manwho spent the summer here a year ago. He had her built for his son, whoknew no more about a boat than a two-year-old child. He capsized herone day, and nearly lost his life, and now she is for sale. Nothing isthe matter with her, except she carries too much canvas. Cut off a footof her mast, trim down her sail and jib, ballast her a little moreheavily, and I'll warrant her to outsail anything of her length abouthere, and to be a good boat in a heavy sea also. I've examined her adozen times, and talked with the man that made her. He'll tell you thatit's just as I say. Of course her misfortune has prejudiced peopleagainst her, and that is why she can be bought so low. Once get herfixed, and we can sail her under a reef until we have earned the moneyto pay for the alterations. I wouldn't take a dollar less for her thanshe originally cost."
"All right! I'm ready to accept your judgment, and we certainly will beequipped better than I expected," remarked Budd.
"Then we must advertise our new firm and business by posters and in thelocal paper. I guess the printer will do the work for us and take hispay in trade, for I've sold him fish several times," went on Judd.
"Yes, we must do that," admitted his partner; "and we'll draw up ouradvertisement to-night. In the morning you can set me over onto 'TheHummocks,' and I will go up to Mr. Wright's, and consult with him aboutthe hiring of the island and get my things. I'll join you in thevillage, where you can await my coming; and if we are successful ingetting the island, we will make the other purchases, and by night be inreadiness to begin moving your goods over here. By Monday next we canbe all equipped for business."
"Let us keep together through all the arrangements," suggested Judd.
"Very well," consented Budd; and they returned to the house for thenight.
Early the next morning the young partners set out upon the variousbusiness enterprises necessary to complete their arrangements. Mr.Wright willingly went with them to see the owners of the island, andthey secured it at a rental of two dollars per month, and took a writtenlease to that effect. The sailboat, lumber and gill-net were purchasedin rapid succession, and the matter of advertising placed in theprinter's hands. The next day the household articles were removed fromthe shanty to the island and arranged in the house. Only the threerooms on the ground floor were needed by the lads, and were settled askitchen, sitting-room and bedroom. That day, also, posters werescattered about the village, and an advertisement appeared in thecolumns of the village weekly, as follows:
NEW FIRM! NEW FIRM!
BOYD & FLOYD.
We, the undersigned, would announce to the citizens of this communitythat we have this day formed a partnership, to be known as Boyd & Floyd.Our headquarters will be at Fox Island, which we have rented of theowners. We shall have fish, oysters, clams, lobsters and scallops forsale, each in their season. On Tuesdays and Fridays of each week weshall be in the surrounding villages, ready to fill all orders in ourline. On the other days of the week all orders dropped in the villagepost-office, Box 118, will secure prompt attention. Hotels andboarding-houses will be supplied at wholesale rates. Sailing orfishing-parties will be tak
en out in our sloop Sea Witch at reasonableprices. This boat is to be remodeled, and made sea-worthy in everyrespect. By honest dealing, fair charges, and prompt attention, we hopeto secure our share of your patronage.
BUDD BOYD.JUDD FLOYD.
Fox Island, May 20, 18--.
It was late on Saturday evening when the lads got back to the islandafter carrying around their posters. They were very tired from theirlong tramp of the day and the other work their plans had necessitated;but they were contented, for they felt that their firm was now fullyorganized and launched out upon the world.
Budd Boyd's Triumph; or, The Boy-Firm of Fox Island Page 6