"No, my son," replied Mr. Boyd, with no less show of affection; "I'll be with you presently."
Budd went back to the kitchen and assisted Judd in the few preparations necessary to complete the breakfast, and when Mr. Boyd joined the lads a few minutes later all was in readiness for them to sit down to the table; and within the prescribed half-hour the meal had been dispatched and all were on board the Sea Witch.
Her moorings were speedily cast off, and with a strong southeast wind to contend against she tacked down the bay. The first run carried her close under the west shore of the bay, and just before she was put about for her second tack, Budd, who was forward, noticed a large flat-boat coming out from a small cove right ahead of them. A single glance showed him that the one sail of the boat was furled, and that his old employer, Mr. Benton, was pulling her along against the stiff breeze with an enormous pair of sweeps.
"Where did Mr. Benton get that boat, and what is he doing with her, Judd?" he asked.
"All I know about it," replied Judd, eying the clumsy craft, "is that he had her down on Plum Beach, yesterday, loading her with sand. Where he got her I can't say. Perhaps he knocked her together himself; I should judge so, from her build. She won't stand a rough sea long, though; and unless he hurries around with his load to-day, she'll go down under him, I'm thinking."
"Are we going to have a storm right away?" asked Mr. Boyd, looking up at the mackerel-sky.
"Yes, sir," replied Judd, promptly. "When the wind blows as fresh as this from the southeast, it won't take over six hours to bring a regular gale. That's one reason we have hurried off to the traps so early this morning. I'll agree to show you all the rough weather you'll care to see before we get back to the island;" and the lad spoke with a positiveness that gave a convincing force to all his words.
On account of the strong head-wind the lads had thought it best to first work down along the west shore and visit the two traps on that side of the bay, and then, with the breeze on their starboard, run over to their trap under Canonicut Island. This would give them, also, a stern-breeze for their return home.
In carrying out this plan they ran on their third tack close enough to Mr. Benton to hail him.
"Good-morning, Mr. Benton," Budd cried out. "Shall we take you in tow and leave you at the beach?"