“I’ll charge ten dollars.”
“All right, we’ll pay it.”
“Will you pay it now?”
“No,” said Fred. “We’ll pay you just as soon as you land us at Mackinac.”
“How do I know you will?”
“You have our word for it.”
“You don’t look neither one of you as if that was too much of a load for you to carry alone.” The man’s voice was nasal and high, and he did not smile while he was speaking. The boys were unable to decide whether he was serious or was speaking lightly.
“If it’s clothes you want,” said Fred, “we’ll show you some better ones just as soon as we get up to the hotel.”
“I’ll tell you what I’ll do,” said the man. “I guess I’m a fool for my pains, but I got to go around by Cockburn Island. If you want to go aboard and go with me I’ll fetch you around to Mackinac for ten dollars. I know I’m taking a big chance, but maybe you be too. What do you say?”
“I say go ahead,” answered Fred quickly.