"I haven't turned her over to Ben Johnson, an' p'rhaps I shall change my mind 'bout lettin' her go, 'specially at the ridiculous price he bid."
"You gave him a clear bill of sale!" Mr. Rowe cried angrily, and the two boys ranged themselves on either side of him, as if believing they would soon be called upon to take part in defending the property of the "family."
"I may have been crazy enough to give a bill of sale, but till I say the word he ain't got any right to fool 'round her. An' I warn you here an' now, Rube Rowe, that if you so much as lay your hand on that craft I'll sue you for trespass, if so be I ain't on the spot to knock your two eyes inter one!" and Captain Doak stepped out from the dory in what both Sam and Tom thought was a threatening manner.
"Hold on, Eliakim Doak, an' don't take the chance of makin' the biggest mistake of your life!" Mr. Rowe said impressively. "You haven't got old Uncle Ben here to deal with. I don't keep soft words for sich as I know you to be. I'm in charge of this 'ere island, likewise the schooner that has been bought an' paid for, an' it'll be the sickest day's work you ever did to kick up a row jest now. What'er you here for, anyhow?"
"I came to get my things outer the cabin, an' to settle on whether I'd let her go at any price——"
"The last part of it has been settled already, an' that you know very well, Eliakim Doak, 'less you're willin' to admit you're a bigger dummy than I ever allowed you was. Uncle Ben has said that you could have what things are in the cabin, though if I'd bought the schooner as she lays, it would be a long, cold day before you'd take the value of a fish-scale away from her."
"We'll see 'bout that part of it," said Captain Doak.
"We've seen about it already! I'll throw out what stuff Uncle Ben allowed you could take away, an' then you'll make a quick move from this 'ere island, or I'll know the reason why," and with the agility of a monkey Mr. Rowe clambered aboard the stranded vessel.
Captain Doak stepped forward as if about to make an attack, but seeing Sam and Tom near the bow with shovels ready to be used as weapons, he wisely concluded to remain on the beach, contenting himself by shouting:
"I'll have the law on you if a single thing in that 'ere cabin is touched!"