“Why, I think he has some land deal on hand,” replied Henry Burns, “and he wishes to make a grand impression on the persons he is going to meet. He calls them his friends, but he’s friendly to any one that he thinks he can make money out of. They probably are from the city, and he wishes to have them enjoy the sights of the bay in a fine boat. There’s money in it in some way for the squire, you can depend on it, or he wouldn’t do it.”
Henry Burns was certainly right, in part.
“Well, we will have the yacht in fairly good shape for him by Saturday,” said Harvey. “We’ll bring down the fine cushions and fixings from the Warren cottage, Friday night.”
The boys worked industriously through this and the two succeeding days, putting the Viking in shape. The outer body of the boat had not received hard usage, even in their fishing, and the decks had been kept carefully scrubbed. So, with the cleaning and painting and oiling of the cabin woodwork, and varnishing, where needed, they had got the yacht in fairly good condition before the squire had applied for her. Now, with the finishing touches, and the rubbing up of brass work, the Viking was beginning to shine and glisten as of old.
“I am almost sorry we agreed to let the squire have her,” said Henry Burns, as he and Harvey lay rolled in their blankets, the former on the starboard, the latter on the port berth, in the midship section of the yacht, on Friday night. They had finished a hard day’s work, had extinguished the cabin lantern, and were having a quiet chat before going off to sleep.
“Oh, well, a week will soon pass,” said Harvey, “and twenty-five dollars will swell our bank-account and put a finishing touch to the season’s balance. We’ll have to go and figure up with Rob Dakin, pretty soon, and see how we stand.”
Rob Dakin, the storekeeper, was the boys’ banker. They had deposited their earnings in his safe, from time to time, keeping an account with him for groceries and rigging, and drawing out what they needed.
“Yes,” responded Henry Burns, “we’ve got a good balance coming to us—and we’ve had a good time, too.”
“I’ve had the best time I ever had here,” said Harvey, enthusiastically.
They were talking in this way, growing drowsy, and speaking in low tones, when Henry Burns suddenly uttered a warning “hush” to Harvey, and half arose, resting on one elbow.