It seemed as if even the wind was favorably disposed toward Uncle Ben's desires, for it freshened very decidedly within ten minutes after the question had been settled, and the "Sally D." sped toward Apple Island with a big bone in her teeth, heeling over until little Joey began to fear she would capsize.
The sun was considerably more than an hour high when the family arrived at the cove, and immediately the anchor had been let go Mr. Rowe said sharply, as he began to snug down the canvas:
"You lads don't want to waste any time now, else it'll be too dark to see the buoys before you have pulled all the pots. Get away smartly; Uncle Ben an' I'll 'tend to matters here."
The lads were over the rail in a twinkling, only waiting to tow the old dory alongside the "Sally" before setting off with the idea of doing half a day's work in two hours, and Uncle Ben called after them as they left the cove:
"Don't stay out after dark, lads, 'cause it ain't safe to pull pots when, if one of you went overboard, the other couldn't see him. I'm allowin' it won't be any great harm if we don't look after 'em all to-night; we'll make up on fish what we may lose in the way of lobsters."
To this the lads made no reply; but when they returned to the cove, a full three hours after setting out, it was with the report that every trap had been visited.
"The catch was so big that it didn't seem right to skip any," Sam said by way of explanation. "We took mighty good care not to make a slip while haulin' in, an' brought back forty-one full-sized lobsters, which I allow is the biggest haul that's been made this season.
"Indeed it is, lad," Uncle Ben cried excitedly. "I declare for it, we oughter stay home if lobsters are movin' at that rate!"
"Now, now, Uncle Ben, you can't go back on your word," Mr. Rowe cried as if in alarm. "You've allowed to go with us in the mornin', an' here are these boys wet an' hungry with tryin' to fix things so's nothin' would prevent you takin' part in the first cruise. Supper is all ready for you, lads, an' the sooner you fill up your stomachs the quicker you'll be able to turn in, for a full night's rest is what all hands will be needin' before another day's work has been done."
Then Mr. Rowe served up the remains of the breakfast, which he had heated for the occasion, and without stopping to argue with Uncle Ben as to the question raised by him, Sam and Tom set about eating as if they and food had been strangers for many a long day.