“Mother,” he said, with feeling, “it’s fine for you to do what you’ve promised, but it’s going to cost a lot of money. What will Father say?”
“Bob,” said his mother, thoughtfully, “when I saw how much brute strength and vigor counted for in that Gregory boy, I realized, for the first time, how much any young man is handicapped by physical weakness. Your father has the means to buy you all the fresh air you need. He will say I did right.”
“I’ll make him say it,” exclaimed Bob stoutly. “Before two months have gone by, if Mac wants to tackle me again—”
His mother put her hand over his mouth.
“You’ll be strong enough and manly enough,” she concluded for him, “to teach him better manners without fighting.”
That evening and the next afternoon and evening were busy ones for the three members of the Anclote Boat Club. Captain Joe being well satisfied with his bargain, he placed the Three Sisters immediately at the disposal of the young adventurers. Tom and Hal produced an alarming quantity of baggage: fishing rods, old and rusted fish supply boxes and reels, an ancient shot gun, blankets and partly worn out counterpanes of marvelous pattern in color and form, old clothes, hats, and shoes, and from Mrs. Allen—several baskets of preserved fruits, jams and jellies.
The enthusiastic Tom and Hal carried to the waiting schooner pretty much everything that could be secured without the expenditure of money. Hal had only the meagre remnant of his allowance in cash, and Tom confessed at once that he was devoid of funds.
“Your mothah has kindly provided the main thing,” explained Tom to Bob. “Hal has enough money to buy the only othah necessities—some flour, tea, coffee, lard, butter, salt and oil for the stove. If he has anything left, we’ll get some pork and bacon. But they don’t count—we don’t actually need ’em. We live on fish, crabs, oystahs, terrapin and,” dropping his voice, “maybe a little venison, if we get to hankerin’ after fresh meat. After we get goin’, we’ll trade fish and crabs for more supplies at Mill View.”
The Three Sisters soon resembled a museum. What appealed strongly to Bob was Captain Joe’s kitchen. In the cockpit astern was a little two-foot square brick hearth. On this, Skipper Romano carried a stove when needed—a little three-legged charcoal brazier. And since Captain Joe’s meals seldom included more than bread and one savory stew, the equipment was quite sufficient. Coffee he made when his stew pan was set aside.
Mrs. Balfour would have been glad to provide Bob with money to materially increase the somewhat scanty stock of provisions, but she had no desire to draw attention to her son’s ampler means, and she suggested sparing purchases on Bob’s part. The other boys consented to a slight addition to the larder in the way of an extra supply of flour and some ham and bacon. But with those articles, all agreed that the provisions on hand were ample.