CHAPTER XXI
AT THE PORT
Tom's hunger increased as he realized that it would be impossible to get anything to eat until after considerable heavy work had been done, and he was already tired with the labors of the day; but since Sam did not complain, he would have been ashamed to speak of his own desires or needs, and followed his comrade back to where they had so hastily left the dory.
"It's goin' to come pretty tough on us, I reckon; but we oughter be willin' to tire ourselves a big bit, seein's this is about the best chance we'll ever have to show Uncle Ben what we're willin' to do toward squarin' up for his bein' so good to us," Sam said, as if believing his companion needed heartening, and Tom replied stoutly, forcing a smile to his lips:
"Don't get it inter your head that I'm goin' to cry baby jest 'cause I can't fill myself up with things to eat. I've been hungry many a time when I didn't see any show ahead for gettin' the next day's breakfast, an' reckon I can hold out as long as you. It won't do any harm if we lay in a cargo of water. My mouth is pretty dry, an' that old pirate couldn't play any funny business with the spring."
Then the boys refreshed themselves with cold water, after which they launched the dory to set about the work of hauling traps, each doing his best to make it appear that plenty of exercise was the one thing needed at that time.
The catch was not as large as on the previous night, but yet they brought in so many lobsters that Sam knew from experience it would not be wise to leave such a large number in the car any length of time, and said with an air of wisdom as they neared the cove on their return:
"We'd have to go to the Port even though the shanty hadn't been burned, an' if we count on gettin' there before dark it's a case of hustlin' right lively from now on. We'll take as big a cargo as can be carried in good shape, an' be off. Do you want another drink of water?"
"I could stow away considerable, but I reckon we'd better not stop to go to the spring. The sooner we strike the Port the sooner we'll get somethin' to eat, an' I'm growin' mighty hollow inside."
It was neither a long nor a difficult task to take from the car, by aid of a gaff, as many lobsters as were needed to make up a fairly good cargo for the dory, and when this had been done the lads buckled down to the oars once more, both feeling so tired that under any other circumstances they would have believed it absolutely impossible to make the journey.