“Well, then,” said the mate of the Silver Swan, “we can get down to business. We understand each other, eh, lad? Ye’ll put yourself under our care, an’ ’Doniram an’ I’ll see you through this thing.”
“I’m only too glad to have your help,” cried Don warmly. “Alone I can do nothing; but with you to help me, Mr. Wetherbee——”
“Drop that!” thundered Caleb. “Don’t you ‘mister’ me, blast yer impudence! I’m Cale Wetherbee to you, as I was to yer father.”
Then he added more mildly:
“You can count on me, Don. And you can count on Pepperpod, here, every time, eh?” and he nodded to the ship owner.
“That you can, Don,” rejoined Mr. Pepper. “And already I have a vessel I can place at your disposal. It is the whaleback steamer I spoke of this morning. You shall have her and go in quest of the Silver Swan.”
“A whaleback, hey?” repeated Caleb quickly, with a doubtful shake of his head. “I don’t know much about them new fangled things.”
“Well, you shall before long,” Mr. Pepper declared. “With her you can beat any of these cruisers to the brig, and get the diamonds before they blow her sky high.
“Now, let us go out to lunch; it is long past my regular hour,” he continued. “I will close the office for the day and you must both go home with me. Wait, I’ll telephone to Marks.”
“Let me git my clo’es brushed before we go up town, ’Doniram,” exclaimed Caleb, in sudden haste. “I’ve got sawdust all over me.”