“No more than you deserved, sir,” said Uncle Naboth, puffing his pipe vigorously.
“It ought to be worth a good deal of money,” continued the Captain, his voice faltering slightly.
“Twenty thousand at least, in my judgment,” said Uncle Naboth, eyeing the sacks.
“Well, sir,” announced Captain Gay, with decision, “I want to exchange this gold for a bill of sale of the ship.”
“What! The ‘Flipper?’”
“Yes, sir.”
Uncle Naboth winked at me gravely, as if to convey the suggestion that the man had gone crazy.
“Cap’n,” said he, after a pause, “I don’t mean to say as Sam and I won’t sell the ship, if you’d like to buy her; but the tub is old, and has seen her best days. She’s worth about six thousand dollars, all told, and not a penny more.”
“You must take all that gold or nothing, sir.”
“What do you mean?” asked my Uncle, in amazement.