I could not help but wish that such was a fact. Not but what I wanted to see the guilty parties punished, but I desired to have nothing more to do with the man, and would be perfectly content if he would never again approach me. I considered that I was old enough to take care of myself, and wanted no guardian of any kind excepting such a nominal one as the law might require.
A few moments later Mr. Markham and I walked down to the dock at which the Catch Me was lying. Mr. Williams had put the craft in first-class trim once more, and as I stepped on board I could not help but feel my breast swell with pride as I realized that I was the owner.
“I will take you to Bayport if you wish,” I said.
“Thank you, Stone; I would like to get over there as soon as possible.”
I hoisted the sails at once, and stood out for the opposite shore. On the way we had quite a talk; and when Mr. Markham fairly wrung the information from me that business was poor at the mill, and that money was tight, he got out two twenty dollar bills, and insisted on my taking them “on account,” as he put it.
“You are too generous,” I said, as he thrust the bills into my pocket.
“It is only a part of what I intended to give you from the start. I shall never forget what you have done for me.”
We parted at the Bayport pier, and then I steered for the mouth of the Torrent Bend River. As I skimmed over the surface of the lake I reviewed my situation in all its details.
I resolved that as soon as the mystery of the diamond robbery was cleared up, to put my father’s matters in Squire Slocum’s hands for final settlement; then if I was allowed to run the mill I would do so, and hire Ford as a regular man to help me.