“Absolutely uninjured. No physician necessary. Bob in my charge. Don’t miss your golf game.
“Helen Balfour.”
Bob’s idea was to take his mother out to inspect the steamer. But the story in the Journal had already brought thousands to the Long Wharf, and he and his mother turned back and walked to Mrs. Allen’s home. Of course, Tom was not there. But they found that Mrs. Allen had also relented as to Mac Gregory.
Bob and his mother then returned to their boarding house, dressed and went to church. When they returned, they found Tom Allen and a strange man awaiting them on the gallery. The man was Mr. Beverly Rowe, a lawyer, and a friend of Tom’s dead father. At Captain Joe’s suggestion, the two boys had called on Attorney Rowe to consult with him concerning the claim for salvage.
The lawyer said at once that the practice was so general that he was certain Mr. Hawkins would expect nothing less. “And the claim is so clean cut,” he added, “that I doubt if the owners of the vessel and of the cargo will be inclined to contest it.”
He then explained what the legal steps would be. If those concerned agreed, and desired him to act for them, he would appear before the United States District Court in the morning and libel the vessel in admiralty proceedings. “That is the same thing,” he explained, “as asking the court to take it in charge pending the examination of your claim. When this is done, the United States Marshal will issue a ‘monition’ and take possession of the libeled property. The marshal will then post a ten days’ notice, warning any other claimants to appear. At the end of that time, the matter will come up before the court, and evidence will be heard. The court will then fix the amount to which you are entitled.”
“But the steamer belongs to a widow in Charleston,” said Tom. “We’ve found that out. We don’t want to force her to pay anything.”
“Very good,” said Mr. Rowe. “Just as you like.”
“And we don’t much like the idea of making all that trouble for Mr. Hawkins,” continued Tom.
“Although we’ve agreed he ought to pay something. The tug men say he’s a rich man,” added Hal.