All Adrift; Or, The Goldwing Club

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER XXIX.

  CAPTAIN GILDROCK HAS DECIDED OBJECTIONS.

  "Uncle Royal is a different sort of a man from what I thought he was,and I am sorry I kept out of the way when he was looking for me. But Ihope, mother, that you don't mean to be dependent upon him or anybodyelse," said Dory.

  "I have struggled hard to get along, and feed and clothe you children,"replied Mrs. Dornwood. "If I could get work enough, I could do prettywell; but"--

  "I can take care of you, mother; and I shall do it," interposed Dory.

  "You, poor boy! What can you do? I heard that you had been dischargedfrom your place on the steamboat," added his mother. "Worse than that:they say you took some money that didn't belong to you."

  "Did Corny Minkfield bring that story over here?" demanded Doryindignantly.

  "No: your uncle heard it over at Plattsburgh."

  Dory told enough of his story to prove that he did not steal the moneywith which he bought the boat, but he could not tell where he got it.Then he produced the seventy dollars he had in his pocket, and gave thatto his mother.

  "Why, Dory, where in the world did you get so much money?" exclaimedMrs. Dornwood, as she took the bills; and the amount was more than shehad ever before possessed at one time since she was married.

  "I received one hundred and five dollars for a service I rendered to aman near Plattsburgh, and I earned ten dollars by helping the officercapture Pearl Hawlinshed," replied Dory.

  His mother wanted to know who had given him the money, and for what; andDory could only reply that he had promised not to tell. Mrs. Dornwoodwas not satisfied, and she greatly feared that her son had been doingsomething wrong.

  "I can't tell when I promised not to tell," added he. "The man that gaveit to me said that I had saved him from losing a very large sum. With apart of this I bought the Goldwing."

  "I have heard all about the Goldwing Club, and so has your uncle Royal,"said Mrs. Dornwood. "When he came up yesterday morning, he set aboutfinding you. We couldn't tell any thing at all what had become of you. Isupposed you was at work on the steamer till Royal told me you had beenturned away."

  "It wasn't my fault that I was turned off. Major Billcord blamed me forwhat was not my fault," replied Dory.

  "Your uncle said as much as that, and declared that he should give MajorBillcord a piece of his mind. At last Royal came to me to know what boysyou played with when you were at home. I gave him the names of all theboys you used to call the Colchester Club."

  "They changed the name to the Goldwing Club," added Dory.

  "Your uncle found them all, and they told him all about the boat you hadbought. He took them with him when he went up to Plattsburgh in hissteam-yacht. He wanted them to help him find you," continued Mrs.Dornwood.

  "Then Corny Minkfield told him that I was a thief. If he had staid withme, he would have heard the detective prove that I was not a thief. Butmy uncle heard it all," said Dory.

  "He proved that you did not steal the money you paid for the boat fromthe man at the hotel; and that was all. No one knows to this minutewhere you did get it."

  "If you won't believe what I say, I can't help it," answered Dory, withsome indignation in his tones.

  "I hope it is all right, Dory; but your uncle is afraid you are gettinginto bad ways. He wants to do something for you."

  "I don't want him to do any thing for me. I am able to take care ofmyself, and you and Marian besides. With the Goldwing I can make fivedollars a day when I can get a party," said Dory.

  "You had better see your uncle Royal, and talk with him. He has beenvery kind to me, and he thinks a great deal of you," said Mrs. Dornwood.

  "Thinks a great deal of me!" exclaimed Dory, hardly able to believe thestatement.

  "That is just what he says. We had a long talk about you yesterdayforenoon, after he came back from his trip down the lake after you. Hesaid you were too smart for him, and he told how you had kept out of theway of his steam-yacht. He thinks you have talent, and it would be agreat pity to have you go wrong in the world."

  Dory was utterly astonished, for he supposed his uncle had a very meanopinion of him. But he was not quite reconciled to having his motherdependent on his uncle. He wanted to be independent, and he had beenthinking so much of supporting the family that he was not ready to giveup the idea.

  "My brother has no family. His wife died before he left off going tosea, and he has no children," said Mrs. Dornwood. "He wants me to keephouse for him, and I shall not feel like a dependant. I and my childrenare his only legal heirs, though he may give his property away by willto whomever he pleases."

  "I don't exactly like the idea of living on him," added Dory. "I neverdid like him, and I can't quite get over the old feeling."

  "The old feeling was all wrong, my son. I should think you would liketo live with your uncle, when he has no end of boats, and the fineststeam-yacht on the lake," argued his mother.

  "I have as good a boat as I want, and I feel sure that I can support thefamily with it."

  Just then there was a knock at the door, and the postman handed in apostal card directed to "Theodore Dornwood." It was from the proprietorof the Witherill House. Two of his guests wanted a sailboat and askipper for three days from Tuesday morning. He had given his addressand terms to the hotel-keeper, and here was the first call for hisservices.

  "Look at that, mother!" exclaimed the young boatman triumphantly. "Threedays, fifteen dollars! What's the use of being dependent upon uncleRoyal?"

  Mrs. Dornwood read the postal, and it looked like an avalanche ofbusiness even to her. Dory regarded his fortune as made. He must leavefor Plattsburgh after dinner, so as to be sure and be there in themorning. Before this matter was disposed of, Captain Gildrock presentedhimself at the house.

  The owner of the Sylph spoke very kindly to Dory, and the conversationsoon turned to the events of the preceding Saturday. The captain was notyet informed in what manner the Goldwing had finally escaped from him.The young skipper explained it all. Mrs. Dornwood informed her brotherof the reason why her son had avoided him, but the captain did notallude to this subject in the presence of the boy.

  Dory showed the postal card to his uncle, and said he was going to sailfor Plattsburgh after dinner. Captain Gildrock did not like Dory's planfor earning a living. He objected to it in the most decided manner. Hedid not believe he could make a living in this way, for there would notbe sufficient demand for the boat to make it pay.

  "But I have a fifteen-dollar job to start with," pleaded Dory.

  "That will do very well for one week, Theodore; but you will not findsteady employment for the season. But this is not the strongestobjection to your plan," replied Captain Gildrock.

  "I don't see what other objection there can be to the plan," said Dory,whose heart was set on the scheme.

  "Perhaps you will not be able to see it when I mention it; but I thinkyour mother will," continued his uncle. "If you could select your ownparties, it might do very well. Many people who indulge in boating arefast livers. You will find that some of your customers are roughcharacters. You will have a great deal of drinking in your boat, andmany men who are willing to pay five dollars a day for the boat are notsuch persons as I should choose for associates of a son or a nephew ofmine."

  "I never drink any liquor, beer, or any thing stronger than coffee,uncle Royal," protested Dory. "I found half a bottle of whiskey on boardof the Goldwing yesterday morning, and I threw it into the lake."

  "Your habits are good now, but it is a question whether they willcontinue so if you make a business of taking out parties in your boat.You will meet men in their gayest moods, when they lay aside allrestraint."

  "But I promised the landlord of the Witherill House that I would takeout parties when he sent for me," added Dory. "I think I can take careof myself.'

  "Go in this instance, if you think you ought to do so. I am going up toPlattsburgh in the Sylph this afternoon. I have invited the GoldwingClub to go with me, but I suppose you
will be unable to join us," saidCaptain Gildrock.

  "I was going to ask the members to sail down with me," replied Dory.

  "Very well: they may go with you, and I will bring them back. I have ascheme in my mind upon which I have been at work this forenoon; but, ifyou have concluded to do a boating business for a living, I shall haveto give it up, at least for the present."

  "Has the scheme any thing to do with me?" asked Dory, his curiosityawakened by the remark.

  "It has to do with all the members of the Goldwing Club. I have been tosee Mrs. Short and Mrs. Minkfield in regard to Richard and Cornelius.But my plan is not yet matured, and I will not say any thing more aboutit until we see how you make out boating."

  "I bought the boat in order to do something to help mother," added Dory."I didn't give forty-two dollars for it for a plaything."

  "Your mother tells me that you have done every thing you could to helpher, and have given her all the money you earned. I am very glad to hearso good a report of you, for I have been told that you were rather wild.The only doubt I have in regard to you now is as to where the money camefrom to pay for the Goldwing."

  Dory told all he felt at liberty to tell, but this did not satisfy hisuncle any more than it did his mother.

  "A man doesn't give a boy over a hundred dollars without some verystrong motive; and your mother is not likely ever to know the nature ofthis mysterious transaction," added the captain.

  "I can't break my promise, uncle Royal," protested Dory.

  "Some promises are better broken than kept."

  Captain Gildrock's residence was about twenty miles up the lake onBeaver River, where he had a large estate. Dory had never been there,though he had seen it from the river. It was decided that Mrs. Dornwoodand Marian should go to Plattsburgh in the Sylph and then go home withthe captain, as Dory was to be away for three days.

  After dinner Dory went on board of the Goldwing. He had seen and invitedthe members of the Goldwing Club to go with him, and they were at thewharf when he arrived. In a few minutes they were sailing down thelake.