“How about them ten dollars?” demanded Rufus, speaking in his shrillest tones. “I don’t intend to let go of you until I see the color of them dollars.”
“Have you got any money with you?” demanded Fred, turning quickly to George and Grant.
“How much do you want?” inquired George.
“Ten dollars. That’s what we agreed to pay our skipper.”
“I guess we can make that up between us,” said Grant, and in a brief time the money was produced and the brilliant-hued Rufus was paid. With evident satisfaction, he said, “I don’t know, boys, but I shall stay over here to Cockburn Island for three or four days. If you show up again in these parts you might let me know and maybe I can do somethin’ more for you.”
“Thank you,” laughed Fred. “You certainly have helped us out of our troubles.”
“Did he help you out of your clothes, too?” demanded Grant, who now had become aware for the first time of the strange garb in which both his friends were clad.
“No, we picked them up on the lake-boat.”
“On the what?”
“On the steamer. We weren’t proud. We didn’t want the crew to think that we felt above them so we put on the suits that they provided us with.”