"I can't see anythin' foolish in your wantin' to go, 'specially since you've come pretty nigh sinkin' your last dollar in this 'ere schooner," and Mr. Rowe spoke in a thoughtful tone, as if he was turning some plan over in his mind. "Say, what's to hinder your goin', anyway?"
"We can't use the 'Sally' as a plaything, Reuben. Lobsterin' is what we're dependin' on for a livin', and it mustn't be neglected."
"Who's talkin' 'bout neglectin' it?" and the captain of the "Sally" appeared aggrieved because such a suggestion had been made. "I'm keepin' it in mind that lobsterin' is the mainstay of this 'ere family, while fishin' is what might be called a side issue till it's been tried out good an' hard. What's to hinder our lookin' after the traps to-night? We've only got one barrel of bait, an' it don't stand to reason that the first cruise can be a very long one. Now it won't do any harm if the pots ain't hauled for eight an' forty hours, an' we're sure to be back before that time has gone by."
Uncle Ben's face brightened, while little Joey clapped his hands in glee at the possibility of making the first cruise in the schooner on which all hands had labored so long and earnestly, and Sam, now quite as eager as either of the two, cried pleadingly:
"Take up with Mr. Rowe's offer, Uncle Ben, take it up! Tom an' I'll pull the traps as soon as ever we get back, an' you won't be the poorer by a single lobster, 'cause we'll put in plenty of bait so's them as get inter the traps won't go to eatin' each other."
Then Tommy added his entreaties, while Mr. Rowe continued to "figger out" how and why Uncle Ben could safely leave the island during two days, with the result that the old man, after questioning the boys as to whether they had cunners enough on hand to bait all the traps, said slowly, much as if he was weakly yielding to temptation:
"I'm free to confess that I'm jest the same as achin' to have a hand in the first take of fish that comes aboard the 'Sally' after she's the same as been dug outer the sand, an' while I know it's childish to set my heart on sich things, the baby an' I'll go. We'll not be very much worse off for mixin' in a little play with our work, even if we have the same as wasted this whole day."
"I don't call it a waste of time when you try out a schooner after launchin' her," Mr. Rowe grumbled, "an' seein's how the folks at the Port sent you a clean hundred dollars, it strikes me you was in duty bound to carry back them as brought it."
"Yes, yes, Reuben, I'm allowin' you're right, an' we'll all hands go on the first cruise. Look after your helm, for if the lads are to haul the pots to-night, we need to make Apple Island as soon as may be."
It was needless to caution Mr. Rowe as to his steering, for he was doing his best to leave the straightest of straight wakes behind him, and from the time of leaving Southport had never once taken his eyes from the course. However, the sheets were flattened a bit to get all the advantage which might be had from the breeze, and Uncle Ben and little Joey swayed down on the jib halyards to take out an imaginary wrinkle from the canvas.