Dory and his pupil had made more tacks than were necessary, in order to illustrate the subject. The boats came up with the sloop just as she was going in at the wharf. The ladies and the crews were still singing, and their merry voices attracted quite a collection of people.
"When I was over off Button Island I did not expect ever to see Westport again," said Bissell, after he had made the Silver Moon fast at the wharf. "I have only ten dollars in my pocket, now, but I want you to take that and let me owe you another ten."
"You must excuse me, Mr. Bissell," protested Dory.
"It ain't enough, I know; and I will make it up to fifty dollars when I get to the store," added the skipper.
"It is enough, and more than enough, Mr. Bissell. I cannot take a single cent for that kind of service. Captain Gildrock would put me into the brig if I took money for assisting anyone in distress on the water," said Dory earnestly. "Sailors are bound to help each other always when in danger."
The store-keeper pressed Dory quite warmly to take the money, but the latter was as firm as a rock. Then he tried to give a few dollars to Paul, but the spare hand, though he wanted the money for his mother, took his cue from Dory, and refused to take a cent. Bissell expressed his gratitude in very warm terms, and said he should like to take some more lessons in sailing a boat from such a skilful master. He would gladly pay for the time and trouble, and he concluded not to sell the Silver Moon at present.
It was now nearly two o'clock, and the students thought it was about time to attend to the contents of the lunch baskets. The ladies had been landed, and were profuse in their expressions of delight at their trip in the barges. The Beech Hillers landed, and camped under a tree to dispose of their lunch. Dory and Paul joined them, and it took some time for the former to explain what he had done on board of the sloop. He did not say any unpleasant things about the skipper, or dwell upon his mistakes.
Before the boys had made any deep inroads into their stock of provisions, Bissell and the ladies appeared laden with ice cream, pies, and cake, which were a welcome addition to the lunch. The "girls," as Bissell called them, waited upon their deliverers, and gushed over the delightful time they had had in the barges.
"There come the Chesterfield barges," said John Brattle when the clock indicated half past two. "I wonder what they are going to do over here."