“You engaged her?” queried Barker in horrified tones.
“What else could I do?” retorted Captain Jordan. “The tide would have turned in another twenty minutes. Maybe you wouldn’t have minded the schooner being piled up on the sand, but I minded.”
“Then you’ll pay for it,” snarled Barker. “I won’t. No, sir! Not a red cent! What did you arrange to pay this—this kid?”
“Five hundred dollars, and—”
“Five hundred!” echoed Mr. Barker in agony.
“Why not? He saved you perhaps ten times that much.” Captain Jordan was becoming annoyed at having to bandy words of this order from ship to wharf.
Simon Barker leaned over and wagged his finger in the direction of the captain of the Sea-Lark.
“Don’t you think for one minute,” he spluttered, “that I’ll ever pay it.”
“We’ll see,” replied Jack, quietly.
There were few patrons for the ferry that day, and after landing Rodney on the Point Jack returned to town and hurried home to his dinner. He reached the house before his father was through and quickly told his story. Mr. Holden was neither hopeful nor helpful.