Harvey hesitated for a moment.
“No!” he cried, determinedly, “not for a thousand dollars. There! I’ve said it, and I mean it. I want the money bad enough, too. But the crew are going to have this boat. We’ve made all the arrangements, and we are using the Viking for fishing, and we’ve got to be off for another trip, too, for we have been about here, earning nothing, for quite awhile now.”
“I’ll give you eighteen hundred dollars if you will sell the Viking,” said Mr. Carleton.
Harvey shook his head stubbornly.
“No use,” he said. “But,” he added, “you can arrange with the crew to take you sailing easy enough when we aren’t around here. They’ll be glad to have you go.”
“Hm!” exclaimed Mr. Carleton. “Well, all right; but if you change your mind, let me know.
“When are you going to launch this one?” he added.
“Why, I think we’ll put her into the water this evening,” replied Harvey. “That is, if we don’t get a shower. The moon will be up and the tide right. That’s why we are coming away so early now. We’re going up to the Warren cottage to get out some Japanese lanterns, and get the cannon ready. When we launch her, we are going to run a line from the masthead to the stern, and hang a chain of the lanterns, light them, and tow the Surprise around to the wharf in style, and fire a salute. Then she’ll be ready for Captain Sam to fit the sails in the morning. Better come around and see the fun.”
“Will you all be over here?” inquired Mr. Carleton.
“The whole crowd,” answered Harvey.