The jug was filled at the pump, and with their provisions and water the boys set off with light hearts for the work of the day.
Paul felt the responsibility of the trust which Captain Littleton had imposed upon him. He was going to make some money by the operation, and upon this day"s success depended the hopes which he had been cherishing in regard to his new scheme.
There are always some drawbacks to disturb the best-laid plans, and when Paul reached the bluff, he discovered the boat adrift at some distance from the sh.o.r.e.
"You are a careless fellow, John," he cried. "You didn"t make fast the boat."
"That"s too bad, Paul; I didn"t mean to do that," replied John, vexed at the accident.
"I don"t suppose you did; but you are careless."
"I thought I made her fast. What shall we do, Paul? I would rather given anything than had this happen."
"So would I; but there is no use of crying about it. There isn"t a skiff within half a mile of here."
"I"ll tell you what I"ll do, Paul," said John, putting down the jug and throwing off his jacket. "I"ll swim out to her and scull her in."
Paul made no objection to this plan, and in half a minute more, John had stripped and was swimming with all his might after the boat, which was perhaps fifty rods from the sh.o.r.e. He was a vigorous swimmer, as self-possessed in the water as on the land, and his brother had no fears in regard to his safety, or his ability to reach the boat.
It did not take the little fellow long to catch the boat, and the accident did not make more than half an hour"s delay. The stores were taken on board, and before John had time to dress himself, the boat was under sail, and working slowly down the bay. A light breeze from the west had sprung up, and a gentle ripple at the bow a.s.sured the young fisherman that everything was progressing in a satisfactory manner.
"I should like to be a fisherman, Paul," said John, who sat on the bottom of the boat opening clams for bait.
"Perhaps you may be one of these days," replied Paul, moodily. "I think I shall do something in that line right off."
"You, Paul?"
"Yes, but don"t you say a word about it to anybody, above all, not to mother. I have been thinking about it all night."
"What do you mean, Paul?"
The ambitious youth had a great idea in his mind, which was struggling to be actualized. More than twenty times since the preceding evening had the words of Captain Littleton crossed his imagination, and kindled up a great blaze of possibilities and probabilities. "I will give you twenty cents a dozen for them," the captain had said. If he would buy perch others would buy them. He had a boat, and there would not be many days when he could not catch as many as five or six dozen. Even at a shilling a dozen he could make a dollar a day.
This was his scheme--to supply Bayville with fresh fish. He had as good a chance to sell them as the men who went through the place blowing their tin horns. He should have an advantage over them, for his fish were certain to be fresh, and he was sure the people would be willing to patronize him. The plan promised exceedingly well, and he wished to talk it over with some one, though he was not quite ready to have it made public. It was true, John was only ten years old, and didn"t know much; but he wanted to talk with somebody about it, and so he concluded to take his brother into his confidence.
"What do I mean, John?" said he. "Why can"t I catch perch every day, and sell them in town?"
"Sure enough, why can"t you?" replied John, delighted with the idea, and perhaps bringing some selfish motives to bear upon it.
"We can haul "em in as fast as we can throw over the line off the rocks, and there are rich folks enough in Bayville to buy them."
"It"s a first-rate idea," exclaimed John, with enthusiasm. "You might go down farther, and catch cod and haddock."
"I would if I had a good boat."
"Father used to go out after cod and haddock in this boat."
"I know, but she is getting rather shaky."
The great idea was discussed in all its bearings till they reached Rock Island, when Paul carefully selected his position, and let go the anchor. The hooks were baited and the lines thrown over, and never before had Paul taken his fishing apparatus when so much seemed to depend upon the success of his efforts. His heart beat as the sinker touched the bottom, and he pulled it up the proper distance. All his fortunes for the future appeared to hang upon the result.
"Hurrah! I"ve got one!" shouted John, as with childish eagerness he pulled in his line.
It was a sculpin!
Was this a type of his own success? Was he to watch his chance on the great sea of life, and finally, after all his anxious watching and toil, was he to pull in only a sculpin? These were painful thoughts to Paul, and his heart almost sunk within him, as he considered the possible failure of his favorite scheme. If he failed in this, he must accept the paltry two dollars and a half a week, and let his mother drudge like a slave. He could not tolerate the thought of failure, and----
A bite!
Paul did not whistle till he got out of the woods, and announced his success to John by slapping a monster perch upon the bottom of the boat.
If that was a type of his success he was satisfied. Before he had time to follow out the reflections suggested by the event, John hauled in the mate to the big fish, and another had taken hold of his own hook.
By ten o"clock there were six dozen perch in the basket, besides three handsome tautog and half a dozen sea flounders. The young fisherman was satisfied, hauled up killock, and made sail for home. His heart was as light as the upper air, and he was confident of the success of his grand scheme.
CHAPTER VI.
PAUL MAKES A GOOD SPECULATION.
"Now, John you must steer, while I skin the perch," said Paul, as he resigned the helm to his brother.
"That I will," replied he, with alacrity, for he did not often get a chance to handle the boat, and was fond of the amus.e.m.e.nt.
"But you must be careful, and keep your eyes open, for we have no time to spare," added the youthful skipper.
"Do you think I don"t know how to steer a boat?" asked John, hurt by the insinuation.
"You know how well enough, if you will pay attention to it, and not be fooling with her."
"I"ll keep her right."
Paul took from under the thwart an old shoe-knife which had been ground down to one third of its original width. It had been well sharpened for this important occasion, but he had provided an old whetstone as a further precaution against a dull blade. To skin a perch neatly and expeditiously is a nice operation; but Paul had had sufficient practice in the art to render him a skilful hand. Seating himself on the lee rail, he commenced work in earnest, occasionally glancing up to see that the boat was doing her best in the way of sailing.
"How much will you make, Paul, if you sell all your fish?" asked John.
"The perch will bring a dollar and twenty cents, if I get twenty cents a dozen for them."
"The tautog are worth something."
"They are worth a quarter apiece."
"You have done a good day"s work then?"
"If I sell the fish, I shall," answered Paul, with a smile of satisfaction. "Come, John, the sail is shaking, and you have lost the wind," he added as his brother carelessly luffed her up.
"I was adding up the perch and the tautog."