by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER VII.
LAYING DOWN THE KEEL.
"What are you doing here, Don John?" demanded Captain Shivernock, as heascended the steps of the piazza.
"I came to see you, sir," replied Donald, respectfully.
"Well, you see me--don't you?"
"I do, sir."
"Have you been talking to Sykes and his wife?" asked the captain,sternly.
"I have, sir."
"Have you told them that you saw me on the island?"
"No, sir; not them, nor anybody else."
"It's well for you that you haven't," added the captain, shaking hishead--a significant gesture, which seemed to relate to the future,rather than to the present. "If you lisp a syllable of it, you willneed a patch on your skull.--Now," he continued, "what do you want ofme?"
"I wanted to talk about the Juno with you. Perhaps I can find a customerfor you."
"Come into the house," growled the captain, as he stalked through thedoor.
Donald followed him into a sitting-room, on one side of which was asecretary, provided with a writing-desk. The captain tossed his cap andovercoat into a chair, and seated himself at the desk. He picked up aquill pen, and began to write as though he intended to scratch a holethrough the paper, making noise enough for a small locomotive. Hefinished the writing, and signed his name to it. Then he cast thecontents of a sand-box upon it, returning to it the portion which didnot adhere to the paper. The document looked as though it had beenwritten with a handspike, or as though the words had been ploughed in,and a furrow of sand left to form the letters.
"Here!" said the captain, extending the paper to his visitor, with ajerk, as though he was performing a most ungracious office.
"What is it, sir?" asked Donald, as he took the document.
"Can't you read?" growled the strange man.
Under ordinary circumstances Donald could read--could read writing whennot more than half the letters were merged into straight lines; but itrequired all his skill, and not a little of his Scotch-Yankee guessingability, to decipher the vagrant, staggering characters which thecaptain had impressed with so much force upon the paper. It proved to bea bill of sale of the Juno, in due form, and for the consideration ofthree hundred dollars.
"Surely you cannot mean this, Captain Shivernock?" exclaimed the amazedyoung man.
"Can't I? Do you think I'm a lunatic?" stormed the captain.
Donald did think so, but he was not so imprudent as to say it.
"I can't pay you three hundred dollars for the boat," pleaded he.
"Nobody asked you to pay a red cent. The boat is yours. If you don'twant her, sell her to the first man who is fool enough to buy her.That's all."
"I'm very grateful to you for your kindness, Captain Shivernock; and Ihope--"
"All stuff!" interposed the strange man, savagely. "You are like therest of the world, and next week you would be as ready to kick me as anyother man would be, if you dared to do so. You needn't stop any longerto talk that sort of bosh to me. It will do for Sunday Schools andprayer meetings."
"But I am really--"
"No matter if you are really. Shut up!"
"I hope I shall be able to do something to serve you."
"Bah!"
"Have you heard the news, Captain Shivernock?" asked Donald, suddenlychanging the topic.
"What news?"
"It's in the _Age_. A man over in Lincolnville, by the name of Hasbrook,was taken out of his bed last night, and severely beaten."
"Hasbrook! Served him right!" exclaimed the captain, with a rough stringof profanity, which cooled the blood of the listener. "He is the biggestscoundrel in the State of Maine, and I am much obliged to the man whodid it. I would have taken a hand with him at the game, if I had beenthere."
THE BILL OF SALE. Page 119.]
This was equivalent to saying that he was not there.
"Do you know this Hasbrook?" asked Donald.
"Do I know him? He swindled me out of a thousand dollars, and I ought toknow him. If the man that flogged him hasn't finished him, I'll poundhim myself when I catch him in the right place," replied the strangeman, violently. "Who did the job, Don John?"
"I don't know, sir. He hasn't been discovered yet."
"If he is discovered, I'll give him five hundred dollars, and pay thelawyers for keeping him out of jail. I wish I had done it myself; itwould make me feel good."
Donald was entirely satisfied that Captain Shivernock had not done it.He was pleased, even rejoiced, that his investigation had resulted sodecidedly in the captain's favor, for he would have been very sorry tofeel obliged to disregard the injunction of secrecy which had beenimposed upon him.
"Did you fall in with any one after we parted this morning?" askedDonald, who desired to know whether the captain had met Laud Cavendishwhen the two boats appeared to be approaching each other.
"None of your business!" rudely replied the captain, after gazing amoment into the face of the young man, as if to fathom his purpose inasking the question. "Do you think the world won't move on if you don'twind it up? Mind your own business, and don't question me. I won't haveanybody prying into my affairs."
"Excuse me, sir; I don't wish to pry into your affairs; and with yourpermission I will go home now," replied Donald.
"You have my permission to go home," sneered the strange man; and Donaldavailed himself of it without another instant's delay.
Certainly Captain Shivernock was a very strange man, and Donald couldnot begin to understand why he had given him the Juno and the sixtydollars in cash. It was plain enough that he had not been nearHasbrook's house, though it was not quite clear how, if he left home atfour o'clock, he had got aground eight miles from the city at the samehour; but there was probably some error in Donald's reckoning. The youngman went home, and, on the way, having assured himself, to his ownsatisfaction, that he had no painful duty in regard to the captain toperform, he soon forgot all about the matter in the more engrossingconsideration of his great business enterprise. When he entered thecottage, his mother very naturally asked him where he had been; and hegave her all the details of his interview with Mr. Rodman. Mrs. Ramsaywas more cheerful than she had been before since the death of herhusband, and they discussed the subject till bed time. Donald hadseventy-two dollars in his pocket, including his fees for measuring theyachts. It was a new experience for him to keep anything from hismother; but he felt that he could not honorably tell her what had passedbetween the captain and himself. He could soon work the money into hisbusiness, and he need keep it only till Monday. He did not feel justright about it, even after he had convinced himself that he ought not toreveal Captain Shivernock's secret to her; but I must add,confidentially, that it is always best for boys--I mean young men--totell their mothers "all about it;" and if Donald had done so in thisinstance, no harm would have come of the telling, and it might havesaved him a great deal of trouble, and her a great deal of anxiety, anda great many painful doubts. Donald thought his view was correct; hemeant to do exactly right; and he had the courage to do it, even ifthereby he incurred the wrath and the vengeance of the strange man.
I have no doubt, from what indications I have of the character of DonaldRamsay, that he tried to learn his Sunday School lesson, tried to giveattention to the sermons he heard, and tried to be interested in thegood books he essayed to read on Sunday; but I am not sure that hesucceeded entirely, for the skeleton frame of the Maud would rise up inhis imagination to cloud the vision of higher things, and theremembrance of his relations with Captain Shivernock would thrust itselfupon him. Yet it is a great deal even to try to be faithful in one'sthoughts, and Donald was generally more successful than on thisoccasion, for it was not often that he was excited by events so stirringand prospects so brilliant. A single week would be time enough toaccustom the young boat-builder to his occupation and restore his mentalequilibrium.
The light of Monday morning's sun was very welcome to him; and when onlyits light gleamed in the gray east, he rose fr
om his bed to begin thelabors of the day. His father had enlarged the shop, so that he couldbuild a yacht of the size of the Maud under its roof; and beforebreakfast time, he had prepared the bed, and levelled the blocks onwhich the keel was to rest. At seven o'clock Lawrence Kennedy appeared,and together they looked over the stock on hand, and made out a list ofthe pieces of timber and plank that would be required. At first thejourneyman was inclined to take the lead in the business; but he soonfound that his youthful employer was entirely familiar with the minutestdetails of the work, and knew precisely how to get out every stick ofthe frame. Donald constantly referred to the model of the Sea Foam,which he had already altered in accordance with the suggestions of hisfather, using the inch scale on which the model was projected, to getthe size of the pieces, so that there should be no unnecessary waste inbuying.
Kennedy went with him to the lumber wharf, where the stock was carefullyselected for the frame. Before dinner it was carted over to the shop,and in the afternoon the work was actually commenced. The keelson, withthe aperture for the centre-board nicely adjusted, was laid down,levelled, and blocked up, so that the yacht should be as true as a hairwhen completed. The next steps were to set up the stern-post and thestem-piece, and Mr. Ramsay's patterns of these timbers were ready foruse. Donald was tired enough to rest when the clock struck six; but nobetter day's work for two men could be shown than that performed by himand his journeyman. Another hand could now work to advantage on theframe, and Kennedy knew of a first-rate workman who desired employment.He was requested to have him in the shop the next morning.
After supper, Donald went back to the shop to study, rather than towork. He seated himself on the bench, and was thinking over the detailsof the work, when, through the window, he saw Laud Cavendish run hissail-boat alongside the Juno, which was moored a short distance from theshore. Laud wanted to buy a boat, and Donald wanted to sell one. Morethan once he had been tempted to keep the Juno for his own use; but hedecided that he could not afford such a luxury, even though she had costhim nothing. If he kept her, he would desire to use her, and he mightwaste too much of his precious time in sailing her. It would cost moneyas well as time to keep her; for boats are always in need of paint,spars, sails, rigging, and other repairs. He was resolute in his purposeto dispose of the Juno, lest the possession of her should demoralizehim, and interfere with his attention to business.
It was plain enough to Donald that he must sell the Juno, though it wasnot as clear that Laud Cavendish could buy her; but he decided to seehim, and, launching his tender, he pulled out for the Juno. While he wasplying his oars, it suddenly came across the mind of the youngboat-builder that he could not sell this boat without exposing hisrelations to Captain Shivernock. He was rather startled by the thought,but, before he had followed it out to a conclusion, the tender wasalongside the Juno.
"How are you, Don John?" said Laud. "I thought I would come down andlook over the Juno."
"She is a first-rate boat," replied Donald.
"And the captain wants to sell her?"
"She's for sale," replied her owner.
"What's the price of her?"
"Four hundred."
"That's too steep, Don John. It is of no use for me to look at her ifthe captain won't sell her for less than that."
"Say three fifty, then," replied Donald.
"Say three hundred."
"She is worth more money," continued the owner, as he unlocked thecuddy. "She has a fine cabin, fitted up like a parlor. Go in and lookround."
Donald led the way, and pointed out all the conveniences of the cabin,eloquently setting forth the qualities of the boat and heraccommodations.
"I'll give three hundred for her," said Laud.
"She is worth more than that," replied Donald. "Why, she cost thecaptain over five hundred; and I wouldn't build her for a mill less thanthat."
"You?" laughed Laud.
"I'm building a yacht thirty feet long for Sam Rodman; and I'm to havetwelve hundred for her," answered Donald, struggling to be modest.
"You are some punkins--ain't you, Don John?"
"I can't quite come up to you, Mr. Cavendish."
"Perhaps you will when you are as old as I am."
"Possibly; but it's a big height to reach in two years. A man of yoursize ought not to haggle for fifty dollars on a boat."
"I can't afford to give more than three hundred for the Juno," protestedLaud, very decidedly.
"Can you afford to give that?" asked Donald, with a smile.
Laud looked at him sharply, and seemed to be somewhat embarrassed.
"I suppose I can't really afford it; but what's life for? We can't liveit over again, and we ought to make the best of it. Don't you think so?"
"Certainly--the best of it; but there may be some difference of opinionin regard to what the best of it may be."
"I mean to be a gentleman, and not a philosopher. I go in for a goodtime. Will you take three hundred for the boat? or will you tell thecaptain I will give that?"
"I can sell her without going to him. I haven't offered her to anybodybut you, and I have no doubt I can get my price for her."
Laud talked till it was nearly dark; but Donald was firm, and at last hecarried his point.
"I will give the three hundred and fifty, because I want her very badly;but it's a big price," said Laud.
"It's dog cheap," added Donald, who was beginning to think how he shouldmanage the business without informing the purchaser that the Juno washis own property.
Donald was a young man of many expedients, and he finally decided to askCaptain Shivernock to exchange the bill of sale for one conveying theboat directly to Laud Cavendish. This settled, he wondered how Laudexpected to pay for his purchase, for it was utterly incredible to himthat the swell could command so large a sum as three hundred and fiftydollars. After all, perhaps it would not be necessary to trouble thecaptain about the business, for Donald did not intend to give a bill ofsale without the cash.
"When do you want to close the trade?" he asked.
"I thought we had closed it," replied Laud.
"You want a bill of sale--don't you?"
"No, I don't; I would rather not have one. When I get the boat, I knowhow to keep her. Besides, you will be a witness that I have bought her."
"That isn't the way to do business," protested Donald.
"If I'm satisfied, you need not complain. If I pay you the cash down,that ends the matter."
"If you do."
"Well, I will; here and now," added Laud, pulling out his wallet.
"Where did you get so much money, Laud?" asked Donald.
It was doubtless an impertinent question, but it came from the heart ofhim who proposed it; and it was not resented by him to whom it was put.On the contrary, Laud seemed to be troubled, rather than indignant.
"Don John, you are a good fellow," said Laud, after a long pause.
"Of course I am."
"For certain reasons of my own, I want you to keep this trade toyourself."
"Why so?"
"I can't tell you."
"Then I won't do it. If there is any hitch about the money, I won't haveanything to do with it."
"Any hitch? What do you mean by that?" demanded Laud, with a lofty air.
"It's no use to mince the matter, Laud. Three hundred and fifty dollarsdon't grow on every bush in your or my garden; and I have beenwondering, all the time, where a fellow like you should get money enoughto buy a boat like the Juno."
Donald said all this fairly and squarely; but it occurred to him justthen, that after he had sold the boat, any one might ask him the samequestion, and he should not feel at liberty to answer it.
"Do you mean to insult me?" demanded Laud.
"Nothing of the sort; and you needn't ride that high horse. I won't sellthe boat till I know where the money came from."
"Do you doubt my honor?"
"Confound your honor! I think we have said enough."
"If you mean to say that I
didn't come honorably by my money, you aremistaken."
"Where did you get it, then?"
"Are you always willing to tell where you get every dollar in yourpocket?" retorted Laud.
That was a home-thrust, and Donald felt it in his trowsers pocket, wherehe kept his wallet.
"I am generally ready to tell where I get my money," he replied, but hedid not speak with much energy.
Laud looked about him, and seemed to be considering the matter.
"I don't like to be accused of stealing," mused he.
"I don't accuse you of anything," added Donald.
"It's the same thing. If I tell you where I got this money, will youkeep it to yourself?" asked Laud.
"If it's all right I will."
"Honor bright, Don John?"
"If it's all right."
"O, it is!" protested Laud. "I will tell you; but you must keep thesecret, whatever happens."
"I will, if everything is as it should be."
"Well, Captain Shivernock gave it to me," said Laud, in confidentialtones, and after looking about to satisfy himself that no third personwas within hearing.
"Captain Shivernock!" exclaimed Donald.
"Just so."
"What for?"
"I can't tell you any more. The captain would kill me if he found outthat I had told you so much," answered Laud. "I don't understand thematter myself; but the captain gave me that money and fifty dollarsmore;" and he handed Donald the price of the Juno. "You are not to saythat I have even seen the captain."
"When was this?"
"Last Saturday; but that's all; not another word from me."
"It's very odd," mused Donald.
"You will keep still--won't you?"
"Yes; until I am satisfied the thing is not all right."
"I shall not say that I own the Juno yet a while," added Laud, as hereturned to the boat in which he had come.
Donald pulled ashore, with the money in his pocket.