At that instant the hall door behind them opened, and Trafford stepped out. So dark had it grown that he failed, at first, to see the two figures on the step; but when a little stir of Ned's betrayed them, he exclaimed, in a tone of great relief,—
"Ah, here you are, boys! I feared that—that you were up the shore, perhaps. Come in, come in. Why do you sit here in the darkness?"
"So I say!" said Ned, briskly, and not regretting this interruption; "what are we sitting here in the dark for, Noll? Let's go in!"
As they were groping along their darksome way to the library, Ned whispered,—
"When are you going to begin your plan, or 'put it in execution,' as the books say?"
"The skipper will touch here to-morrow; I'd like to see him then," said Noll.
"Why not?" returned Ned. "We can get up early and run over to Culm before breakfast, and coax Ben into doing the business for you."
"We will!" said Noll, gladly, "and have the work begun at once; and I knew you'd be willing to help. Oh, Ned, I wish you were to stay here always."
The boys did not linger long in the library after arriving there, but went up to Noll's chamber, where his little hoard of money was brought forth and counted. Neither of the lads knew how far it would go toward purchasing lumber, but to them the sum in hand seemed a large one, and they decided, after much deliberation, to place it in Ben's hands, and trust to his judgment and discretion.
"But how is the carpenter to be paid for his labor, if this all goes for lumber?" queried Ned.