by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER VI.
DONALD GETS THE JOB.
Whether Captain Shivernock was sane or insane, Donald Ramsay was inpossession of the Juno. Of course he did not consider himself theproprietor of the craft, if he did of the sixty dollars he had in hispocket. She had the wind over her port quarter, and the boat torethrough the water as if she intended to show her new skipper what shecould do. But Donald paid little attention to the speed of the Juno, forhis attention was wholly absorbed by the remarkable events of themorning. Captain Shivernock had given him sixty dollars in paymentnominally for the slight service rendered him. But then, the strange manhad given a poor laborer a hundred dollars for stopping his horse, whenthe animal leisurely walked towards home from the store where the ownerhad left him. Again, he had given a negro sailor a fifty-dollar billfor sculling him across the river. He had rewarded a small boy with aten-dollar bill for bringing him a despatch from the telegraph office.When the woman who went to his house to do the washing was taken sick,and was not able to work for three months, he regularly called at herrooms every Monday morning and gave her ten dollars, which was threetimes as much as she ever earned in the same time.
Remembering these instances of the captain's bounty, Donald had no doubtabout the ownership of the sixty dollars in his pocket. The money washis own; but how had he earned it? Was he paid to keep his tongue still,or simply for the service performed? If for his silence, what had thecaptain done which made him desire to conceal the fact that he had beento the island? The strange man had explicitly denied having killed,robbed, or stolen from anybody. All the skipper could make of it was,that his desire for silence was only a whim of the captain, and he wasentirely willing to accommodate him. If there had been any mischief doneon the island, he should hear of it; and in that event he would takecounsel of some one older and wiser than himself. Then he tried tosatisfy himself as to why the captain had walked at least three miles toTurtle Head, instead of waiting till the tide floated the Juno. Thisappeared to be also a whim of the strange man. People in the city usedto say it was no use to ask the reason for anything that CaptainShivernock did. His motive in giving Donald sixty dollars and his boat,which would sell readily for three hundred dollars, and had cost overfive hundred, was utterly unaccountable.
Donald was determined not to do anything wrong, and if the captain hadcommitted any evil deed, he fully intended to expose him; but he meantto keep still until he learned that the evil deed had been done. Themoney in his pocket, and that for which the Juno could be sold, would becapital enough to enable him to carry on the business of boat-building.But he was determined to see Captain Shivernock that very day in regardto the boat. Perhaps the strange man would give him a job to build acentre-board yacht, for he wanted one.
"Hallo! Juno, ahoy!" shouted Laud Cavendish.
Donald threw the boat up into the wind, under the stern of Laud's craft.
"I thought you were going down to Camden," said he. "You won't get thereto-day at this rate."
"I forgot some things I wanted, and ran up to Searsport after them. Butwhat are you doing in the Juno, Don John?"
"She's going to be sold, Laud," replied Donald, dodging the directquestion. "Didn't you say you wanted to buy a boat?"
"I said so; and I want to buy one badly. I'm going to spend my summer onthe water. What does the captain ask for her?"
"I don't know what the price is, but I'll let you know on Monday," addedDonald, as he filled away again, for the yacht fleet was now in sight.
"Hold on a minute, Don John; I want to talk with you about her."
"I can't stop now. I have to go up to the Head and measure the yachts."
"Don't say a word to anybody about my buying her," added Laud.
He was soon out of hearing of Laud's voice. He wondered if the swellreally wished to buy such a boat as the Juno, and could pay threehundred dollars for her. His father was not a rich man, and he was outof business himself. And he wanted Donald to keep still too. What motivehad he for wishing his proposition to be kept in the dark? His objectwas not apparent, and Donald was obliged to give up the conundrum,though he had some painful doubts on the subject. As he thought of thematter, he turned to observe the position of the two boats to thesouthward of him. Directly ahead of Laud's craft was an island which hecould not weather, and he was obliged to tack. He could not lay hiscourse, and he had to take a short and then a long stretch, and he wasnow standing across the bay on the short leg. Captain Shivernock had runover towards the Northport shore, and Donald thought they could not wellavoid coming within hailing distance of each other. But the Juno passedbeyond the north-west point of the island, and he could no longer seethem. He concluded, however, that the captain would not let Laud, or anyone else, see him afloat that day. He was a very strange man.
Donald ran the Juno around the point, and anchored her under the lee ofTurtle Head. The fleet was still a couple of miles distant, and after hehad lowered and secured the mainsail, he had nothing to do but examinethe fine craft which had so strangely come into his possession. He wentinto the cuddy forward, and overhauled everything there, till he wasfully qualified to set forth the merits of her accommodations to apurchaser. The survey was calculated to kindle his own enthusiasm, forDonald was as fond of boating as any young man in the club. The idea ofkeeping the Juno for his own use occurred to him, but he resisted thetemptation, and determined not even to think of such an extravagantplan.
The yacht fleet was now approaching, the Skylark gallantly leading theway, and the Christabel, with a reef in her mainsail, bringing up therear. The Sea Foam did not seem to hold her own with the Skylark, as shehad done before, but she was the second to drop her anchor under the leeof Turtle Head.
"I cam glad to see you, Don John," said Commodore Montague, as hediscovered Donald in the Juno. "I was afraid you were not coming, and Iwent up to the shop to look for you. But how came you in that boat?"
"She is for sale," replied Donald, as the tender of the Skylark camealongside the Juno, and he stepped into it. "Do you know of anybody thatwants to buy her?"
"I know three or four who want boats, but I am not sure the Juno wouldsuit either of them," replied the commodore.
The boat pulled to the shore, and no one asked any more questions aboutthe Juno, or her late owner. The members of the club on board of theseveral yachts landed, and Donald was soon in earnest conversation withSamuel Rodman.
"What does your father say?" he asked.
"He wants to see you," replied Samuel.
"Does he think I can't do the job?"
"He did not think so at first, but when I told him you would employ oneor two regular ship carpenters, he was satisfied, and I think he willgive you the job."
"I hope he will, and I am sure I can give him as good work as he can getanywhere."
"I haven't any doubt of it, Don John. But the Sea Foam isn't doing sowell as she did the first day you had her out. The Skylark beats herevery time they sail."
"Ned Patterdale hasn't got the hang of her yet."
"Perhaps not."
"I should like to have Bob Montague sail her, and Ned the Skylark; Ithink it would make a difference," added Donald. "Ned does very well,but a skipper must get used to his boat; and he hasn't had muchexperience in yachts as large as the Sea Foam. I spoke to you of achange in the model for the Maud; and if I'm not greatly mistaken, shewill beat both the Sea Foam and the Skylark."
"I would give all my spending-money for a year, over and above the cost,if she would do that," replied Rodman, with a snap of the eye.
"Of course I can't promise that she will do it, but I expect she will,"said Donald.
The club assembled under the trees, and the members were called to orderby the commodore. The first business was to hear the report of theRegatta Committee, which proved to be a very interesting document to theyachtmen. The race was to take place the next Saturday, and was open toall yachts exceeding twenty feet in length, duly entered before thetime. All were to sail in the same class; t
he first prize was a silvervase, and the second a marine glass. The course was to be from thejudge's boat, in Belfast harbor, by Turtle Head, around the buoy onStubb's Point Ledge, leaving it on the port hand, and back to thestarting-point. The sailing regulations already adopted by the club wereto be in full force. The report was accepted, and the members lookedforward with eager anticipation to what they regarded as the greatestevent of the season. Other business was transacted, and Donald, who hadbrought with him a measuring tape and plummet, measured all the yachtsof the club. Dinner was served on board of each craft, and the commodoreextended the hospitalities of the Skylark to Donald.
In the afternoon, the fleet made an excursion around Long Island,returning to Belfast about six o'clock, Donald sailing the Juno, andcatching a mess of fish off Haddock Ledge. He moored her off the shop,and was rather surprised to find that his own boat had not yet beenreturned. After supper he hastened to the house of Mr. Rodman, withwhom he had a long talk in regard to the building of the Maud. Thegentleman had some doubts about the ability of the young boat-builder todo so large a job, though he desired to encourage him.
"I am willing to give you the work, and to pay you the same price yourfather had for the Sea Foam; but I don't like to pay out money till Iknow that you are to succeed," said he.
"I don't ask you to do so, sir," replied Donald, warmly. "You need notpay me a cent till you are perfectly satisfied."
"But I supposed you would want money to buy stock and pay your men, evenbefore you had set up your frame."
"No, sir; we have capital enough to make a beginning."
"I am satisfied then, and you shall have the job," added Mr. Rodman.
"Thank you, sir," replied Donald, delighted at his success.
"You may go to work as soon as you please; and the sooner the better,for Samuel is in a great hurry for his yacht."
"I will go to work on Monday morning. The model, moulds, and drawingsare all ready, and there will be no delay, sir," answered the youngboat-builder, as he took his leave of his considerate patron.
Perhaps Mr. Rodman was not satisfied that the young man would succeed inthe undertaking, but he had not the heart to discourage one who was soearnest. He determined to watch the progress of the work very closely,and if he discovered that the enterprise was not likely to besuccessful, he intended to stop it before much time or money had beenwasted. Donald had fully detailed the means at his command for doing thejob in a workman-like manner, and he was well known as an ingenious andskilful mechanic. Mr. Rodman had strong hopes that the young man wouldsucceed in his undertaking.
Donald walked toward the house of Captain Shivernock, congratulatinghimself on the happy issue of his interview with Mr. Rodman. As hepassed the book and periodical store, he saw Lawrence Kennedy, a shipcarpenter, who had formerly worked with Mr. Ramsay, standing at thedoor, reading the weekly paper just from the press. This man was out ofwork, and was talking of going to Bath to find employment. Donald hadalready thought of him as one of his hands, for Kennedy was a capitalmechanic.
"What's the news?" asked Donald, rather to open the way to what he hadto say, than because he was interested in the latest intelligence.
"How are you, Donald?" replied the ship carpenter. "There's a bit ofnews from Lincolnville, but I suppose you heard it; for all the town istalking about it."
"I haven't heard it."
"A man in Lincolnville was taken from his bed in the dead hour of thenight, and beaten to a jelly."
"Who was the man?"
"His name was Hasbrook."
"Hasbrook!" exclaimed Donald.
"Do you know him, lad?"
"I know of him; and he has the reputation of being anything but anhonest man."
"Then it's not much matter," laughed the ship carpenter.
"But who beat him?" asked Donald.
"No one knows who it was. Hasbrook couldn't make him out; but likelyit's some one the rogue has cheated."
"Hasbrook must have seen him," suggested Donald.
"The ruffian was disguised with his head in a bit of a bag, or somethingof that sort, and he never spoke a word from first to last," addedKennedy, looking over the article in the paper.
Donald wondered if Captain Shivernock had any dealings with Hasbrook. Hewas just the man to take the law into his own hands, and assault one whohad done him a real or a fancied injury. Donald began to think heunderstood why the captain did not wish it to be known that he was onLong Island the night before. But the outrage had been committed inLincolnville, which bordered the western arm of Penobscot Bay. It wasthree miles from the main land to the island. If the captain was inLincolnville in "the dead of night," on a criminal errand, what was hedoing near Seal Harbor, where the Juno was aground, at four o'clock inthe morning? If he was the guilty party, he would naturally desire toget home before daylight. The wind was fair for him to do so, and therewas enough of it to enable the Juno to make the run in less than twohours. It did not seem probable, therefore, that the captain had goneover to the other side of the bay, three miles off his course. Besides,he was not disguised, but wore his usual gray suit; and Hasbrook oughtto have been able to recognize him by his form and his dress even in thedarkest night.
Donald was perplexed and disturbed. If there was any probability thatCaptain Shivernock had committed the crime, our hero was not to bebribed by sixty or six thousand dollars to keep the secret. If guilty,he would have been more likely to go below and turn in than to walkthree miles on the island for assistance, and he would not have gonethree miles off his course. But Donald determined to inquire into thematter, and do his whole duty, even if the strange man killed him forit. Kennedy was reading his paper while the young man was thinking overthe case; but, having decided what to do, he interrupted the shipcarpenter again.
"Are you still out of work, Mr. Kennedy?" he asked.
"I am; and I think I shall go to Bath next week," replied Kennedy.
"I know of a job for you."
THE NEWS FROM LINCOLNVILLE. Page 110.]
"Do you, lad? I don't want to move away from Belfast, and I should beglad to get work here. What's the job?"
"We are going to build a yacht of the size of the Sea Foam."
"Who?" inquired the workman.
"My mother and I intend to carry on my father's business."
"And you wish me to manage it for you?"
"No; I intend to manage it myself," added Donald, confidently.
"Well, lad, you are clever enough to do it; and if you are like yourfather, I shall be glad to work for you."
The wages were agreed upon, and Kennedy promised to be at the shop onMonday morning, to assist the young boat-builder in selecting the stockfor the Maud. Donald walked to the house of Captain Shivernock. In theyard he found Sykes, the man who did all sorts of work for his employer,from taking care of the horses up to negotiating mortgages. Donald hadoccasionally been to the house, and he knew Sykes well enough to passthe time of day with him when they met in the street.
"Is Captain Shivernock at home?" asked the young man, trying to appearindifferent, for he wanted to get as much information in regard to thestrange man's movements during the last twenty-four hours as possible.
"No, he is not," replied Sykes, who to some extent aped the manners ofhis eccentric employer.
"Not at home!" exclaimed Donald, who had not expected this answer,though he had not found his own boat at her moorings on his return fromthe excursion with the fleet.
"Are you deaf, young man?"
"No, sir; not at all."
"Then you heard me say he was not at home," growled Sykes.
"I want to see him very much. Will he be long away?" asked Donald.
"I can't tell you. He won't come back till he gets ready, if it isn'tfor a month."
"Of course not; but I should like to know when I can probably see him."
"You can probably see him when he comes home. He started in his boat forVinal Haven early this morning."
"This morning?" repeat
ed Donald, who wished to be sure on this point.
"Didn't I say so? This morning. He comes back when he pleases."
"When do you expect him?"
"I don't expect him. I never expect him. He may be home in five minutes,in five days, or five weeks."
"At what time this morning did he go?"
"He left the house at five minutes after four this morning, the lastthat ever was. I looked at my watch when he went out at the gate; for Iwas thinking whether or no his boat wasn't aground. Do you want to knowwhat he had for breakfast? If you do, you must ask my wife, for I don'tknow," growled Sykes.
"I am very anxious to see him," continued Donald, without heeding thesulky tones and manner of the man. "Perhaps he told Mrs. Sykes when heshould return."
"Perhaps he did, and perhaps he told her how much money he had in hispocket. He was as likely to tell her one as the other. You can ask her,"sneered Sykes.
As the housekeeper sat on the piazza enjoying the cool evening breeze,Donald decided to avail himself of this permission, for he desired toknow how well the two stories would agree. He saluted the lady, who gavehim a pleasanter reception than her bearish husband had accorded to him.
"Mr. Sykes told me that Captain Shivernock was away from home," saidDonald. "Can you tell me when he is likely to return?"
"He intended to come back to-night if the wind favored him. He went toVinal Haven early this morning, and as you are a sailor, you can tellbetter than I whether he is likely to return to-night," replied Mrs.Sykes.
"The wind is fair, and there is plenty of it," added Donald. "What timedid he leave?"
"About four o'clock. I gave him his coffee at half past three, and itmust have been about four when he went away."
If the outrage at Lincolnville had been committed in "the dead of thenight," it was perfectly evident to Donald that Captain Shivernock hadhad nothing whatever to do with it. This conclusion was a great reliefto the mind of the young man; but he had hardly reached it before thecaptain himself passed through the gate, and fixed a searching gaze uponhim, as though he regarded him as an interloper.