"I don't see how it is possible to scratch off anything," he said. "You'll need every one of these articles."
He puckered his brow, bit the end of his pencil, and studied the figures. It was evidently a puzzling problem.
"Well," he said at last, "I'll tell you what I'll do. Bring me down a few curios from the Arctic and I'll call it square."
I suppose my outfit was really worth about $6—not over $10. As soon as my bag had been packed, I was escorted to the wharf by the runner and rowed out to the brig. As I prepared to climb over the ship's rail, the runner shook me by the hand and clapped me on the back with a great show of cordial goodfellowship.
"Don't forget my curios," he said.
[CHAPTER II]
THE MEN OF THE "ALEXANDER"
The brig Alexander was a staunch, sea-worthy little vessel. She had no fine lines; there was nothing about her to please a yachtsman's eye; but she was far from being a tub as whaling ships are often pictured. She was built at New Bedford especially for Arctic whaling. Her hull was of sturdy oak, reinforced at the bows to enable her to buck her way through ice.