“There, Dick, you’ve heard the whole story, both of my righteousness and of my wickedness.”
“And a mighty interesting story it has been to me,” Dick replied. “Thank you for telling it.”
XIV
CAL RELATES A FABLE
The Hunkydory was completely loaded when Cal and Dick returned, and there was nothing further to do except cook the fish and game, so that there might be no need to stop anywhere to get dinner.
There was a fairly stiff breeze blowing when the anchors were weighed, but sailing was impracticable until the boat should be well out of the narrow creek, so all hands went to the oars.
When the land was cleared, Larry ordered that the oars be stowed in their fastenings and the sails raised. Without discussion or arrangement of any kind, Cal went to the helm. It seemed the proper thing to do in view of his superior knowledge of the surroundings, but Cal was not thinking of that. He had a plan and purpose of his own to carry out, though he said nothing about the matter.
There was quite an hour of sailing necessary before the course could be laid in the direction of the waterway that led toward Beaufort, and when the time came for heading in that direction, Cal laid quite a different course, heading for a shore that lay several miles away.