A NEW MEMBER
When Sam was first told that he would be allowed to live on Apple Island with Uncle Ben, he mentally promised that he would be the first up and at work in the morning, to the end that the old lobster catcher might gain more rest than had been possible when, as he himself expressed it, he was "captain, mate, and all the crew down to the cook"; but on this day after the first real work of wrecking had been done on the "Sally D.," the lad's eyes were so heavy with slumber that he continued to sleep even while Mr. Rowe and Uncle Ben were cooking breakfast.
When, finally, he did awaken, the odor of coffee and fried fish came to his nostrils, and for the merest fraction of time he believed it was all a dream; but an instant later he was on his feet, thoroughly wide awake, as he said with somewhat of reproach in his tone:
"Why didn't you waken me, Mr. Rowe? It isn't fair for you an' Uncle Ben to be doin' my work when I show myself such a sleepyhead. It would have served me right if you'd dragged me out by the heels!"
"You put in a hard day's work yesterday, Sammy," Uncle Ben said in a kindly tone. "It stands to reason that you was tired out, an' it seemed the biggest kind of a pity to break in on what you was enjoyin' so much, 'specially since my eyes were open so wide that I couldn't have brought 'em together agin no matter how hard I tried. I declare for it, I'm allowin' myself to get wrought up over ownin' the 'Sally' as bad as Deacon Stubbs was when 'Bije Fernald gave him a foxhound! The idea of what I've got to buy at the Port to-day, an' how the schooner will look after we get her in sailin' trim once more, has kinder turned my head. Give Tommy a shake, Sam, an' as soon as you boys have washed up, we'll have breakfast."
All this while Tom had been sleeping noisily yet peacefully, but he was aroused to consciousness of his surroundings very speedily after Sam obeyed Uncle Ben's command, and was no less surprised than had been his comrade, on finding the breakfast ready for eating.
The old lobster catcher seemed to think it comical because he had been able to cook breakfast without arousing either of the lads, and evidently enjoyed the surprise, therefore very slight complaint was made by the regular cook, although he felt that in some way, he was not just certain how, a wrong had been done him.
Uncle Ben lost no time, once the meal had been eaten, in setting out on the voyage, and indeed it was necessary to start early if he counted on doing all his shopping and returning before dark.
"If it should so happen, which I don't think likely, that Eliakim takes it inter his head to come over here to-day, don't get up a row with him, 'cause he ain't worth it," the old man said warningly as he pushed off the dory and took up the oars.
"But you don't count that we're to stand 'round with our fingers in our mouths an' let him do whatever comes inter his ugly head, do yer?" Mr. Rowe asked sharply.