“So you’re the young captain of the Sea-Lark, are you?” asked Mr. Farnham, pleasantly. “I hadn’t been at home an hour before Rod insisted on my driving over to see you. And this is your father? Glad to meet you, Mr. Holden. Your boy has made a real business enterprise of it, I understand. Well,” he added, turning to Jack, “and how do you like the sloop?”
“She’s just perfect, sir, thanks,” replied Jack, a little shyly. “I—I’m awfully obliged to you for letting me have her.”
“That’s all right,” said Mr. Farnham. “Don’t forget your promise to take me for a sail in her sometime.”
“Why, of course, she is yours to use whenever you like, sir,” replied Jack.
“She’s not mine, at all!” replied the man, laughing. “You’re the only one who has any claim on her now. Besides, I have the motor-boat. All the same, I’m coming down some day soon for that sail. I want to see how you and your merry men manage her.”
CHAPTER IX
THE SEA-LARK TO THE RESCUE
Jack was whistling cheerfully as he cleaned out his boat. As the sloop’s regular berth was occupied by one of Garnett and Sayer’s schooners, which was taking in ice for a trip, Jack had tied up across the slip to one of Simon Barker’s boats. He looked round with a start when a gruff voice hailed him from the wharf, and saw Simon Barker himself glaring down from the string-piece.
“Get out of that!” Mr. Barker ordered gruffly.
The boy, puzzled for a moment, as he was doing no harm, looked back in frank astonishment.