"I don't allow that the boys are quite up to handlin' a dory in heavy weather, an' pullin' pots at the same time, so I reckon it's a case of my keepin' off the shelf a spell longer," Uncle Ben replied placidly. "I wouldn't know what to do with myself, knockin' 'round on shore with nothin' 'special to be done."
"The boys have been tellin' me 'bout your plan, an' I allowed that when you'd got your family together, there'd be plenty for you to do without lobsterin', 'cept when you wanted to tackle the job in pleasant weather for what fun might be got out of it," Mr. Rowe suggested in a tone which told that he would have said more, but lacked the courage, whereupon Uncle Ben asked with a smile:
"What is it, Reuben? There's more in your noddle than you've let out so far, an' no reason why you shouldn't make a clean breast of it."
"Wa'al, I reckon I may as well say what came inter my mind while we were out in the dory. The boys got the idea that you was countin' on buyin' a schooner, so's you could do a little fishin'?"
"That's in my mind, Reuben; but, of course, it ain't to be thought of till the family grows a bit. Sam an' Tom will have their hands full with lobsterin', an' consequently, there wouldn't be anybody to run the vessel if I bought one."
"It was the idee of the schooner that set me to thinkin'," Mr. Rowe said hesitatingly, much as though hardly daring to put his thoughts into words. "If there was another man on the island, I don't see why you couldn't run a schooner on short trips, an' 'tend to the lobster catchin' at the same time; two boys, with a skipper who knew his business, oughter bring in quite considerable fares of fish."
"But so long as I'm the only one to look after anythin' of the kind, there ain't much sense in talkin' 'bout it," Uncle Ben said with a laugh which ceased very suddenly as a new idea presented itself. "Look here, Reuben Rowe, are you kinder hintin' that you'd turn to with us?"
"That's jest the size of it, Uncle Ben!" Mr. Rowe exclaimed, evidently much relieved in mind by having the matter thus brought speedily to a head.
"I ain't allowin' that I could run a schooner or look after the lobster end of it as well as you; but yet you know I'm counted an A1 man aboard a fisherman."
"We couldn't afford to hire a skipper, Reuben. If I can contrive to pay for a vessel, the crew will have to work for the family, without countin' on gettin' wages."