“The Grand Lake,” Skipper Bill drawled, with a sigh, “is somewheres t’ the s’uth’ard footin’ it for St. John’s.”
“You missed her!” Billy accused.
“Didn’t neither,” said the indignant skipper. “She steamed right past Hook-an’-Line without a wink in that direction.”
This was shocking news.
“Anyhow,” said little Donald North, as though it mattered importantly, “we seed her smoke.”
Billy looked from Donald to Jimmie, from Jimmie to Bagg, from Bagg to the skipper; and then he stared about.
“Where’s Archie?” he asked. 292
“Archie,” the skipper replied, “is footin’ it for St. John’s, too. ‘Skipper Bill,’ says Archie, ‘Billy Topsail has kep’ that schooner safe. I knows he has. It was up t’ Billy Topsail t’ save the firm from wreckers an’ I’ll lay you that Billy Topsail has saved the firm. Now, Skipper Bill,’ says Archie, ‘you go back t’ Jolly Harbour an’ get that schooner off. You get her off somehow. Get her off jus’ as soon as you can,’ says he, ‘an’ fetch her to St. John’s.’
“‘I can’t get her off,’ says I.
“‘Yes, you can, too, Skipper Bill,’ says he. ‘I’ll lay you can get her off. I don’t know how you’ll do it,’ says he; ‘but I’ll lay you can!’