Barry Tuxford knew Silas well, and in divers transactions with him had found him a fair dealer.
"You shall have a chance, Silas," he said, "if there is anything worth your while to look at. This is a sort of trial trip, and I do not know how it has panned out."
Silas laughed as he replied—
"There are not many things you go into that do not pan out well. You made a big haul out of the Great Tom mine, did you not?"
"Fair," replied Barry cautiously, and inwardly thinking what a welcome surprise he had in store for Jack Redland.
"Here's Barry," said Jacob, as he saw a boat shoot out and make for the schooner. "I'll keep out of the way a bit and give him a surprise later on. Don't let on you have me on board, boys."
"We'll keep it dark as long as we can," replied Phil, smiling. "But if Barry asks questions about you he'll soon smell a rat."
There were hearty greetings when Barry Tuxford stepped on board the "Heron."
"Your friends at home would hardly recognise you," he said to Jack, who was as brown as a berry, "but you look in splendid condition, and pearling evidently agrees with you. Where's your pal? In the 'Wild Cat?'"
"Yes," replied Jack, "and she'll be in the bay to-night, I expect, she is never far behind."