"Can't we go into the cabin, and shut the doors, Dory?" asked Peppers.
"You can; but that would bring the boat down by the head so much that she won't work well. If you want to do that, I will shift the ballast," replied Dory.
"I don't want Pearl to see me until we get him into this boat. It won't do for me to take him out of the steamer over here. I am afraid to do it. Shift your ballast, and then I will fix it up with you," added the officer.
"Fix up the ballast!" exclaimed Dory, who did not care to have any one meddle with the ballast but himself.
"No, no! Fix up a plan to get Pearl into this boat. Don't try to be so thick, Dory," replied Peppers impatiently.
The skipper could not leave the helm to move the ballast, and neither of his passengers knew any thing about a boat. But the men shifted the fifty-sixes under the direction of the skipper. Five of them were carried farther aft, and the passengers took their places one in each berth in the cabin.
The doors opening into the standing-room were closed, but the slide was left open till the schooner came alongside the Missisquoi. The men declared that they were very comfortable in their quarters, and Dory could not see why they should not be. He did not think there was any better place in the known world than the cabin of the Goldwing.
"Now, how are we to get Pearl into this boat?" asked Peppers, with his head at the opening by the slide.
"I don't think you will have any trouble about that," replied Dory. "He wanted me to take him on board this morning, but I believe he will take the boat away from me as soon as he comes on board."
"Don't you be alarmed about that, Dory. I can take care of him when I get him within reach of my hand," added the detective.