"I'll go down and consult with my partner in the find," said the lad, "and if we decide to accept the offer we will bring it right up here."
"Very well," the druggist replied.
A consultation with Judd and the two fathers was immediately held, and the result was the lads took the ambergris up to the store. On reaching there it was weighed and found to fall a little short of the lads' expectations, as there were but twenty-six and one-half pounds of it.
"Not a bad find, I assure you," said the proprietor of the store, filling out a receipt for the substance, which he handed to the boys. "In about a week you may expect a check from me, and I will guarantee it will exceed two thousand dollars."
It came within four days, however, and was drawn for the amount of two thousand five hundred and seventeen dollars and fifty cents, the ambergris having sold readily for one hundred dollars a pound; and the druggist, having deducted his five per cent, commission, remitted the balance to the lads.
"Not a bad sum for deposit, chum," remarked Budd complacently, as he looked the check over. "Now, if we can finish collecting our bills, we can draw a balance-sheet on Thanksgiving-day and see what our profits for the season have been."
Though the inmates of the Fox Island house had received an urgent invitation to spend Thanksgiving with Mr. Johnson in Boston they had declined, preferring to spend it at their own home.
When the day came, it found the affairs of the young firm practically closed up for the season. The pound-nets had been taken up, cleaned, and returned to Mr. Taylor, the owner. Crates and cars and traps were stored in an unused room over the kitchen. Bills were collected, and all expenses paid. The balance-sheet of the firm was drawn, and after dinner it was read and discussed with much pride and interest on the part of the young partners.
"Our receipts have been as follows," and Budd read this to his attentive listeners:
From the fish-pounds, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $331.27
From fish secured in other ways, . . . . . . . . . . . . 39.74
From clams, lobsters, scallops and oysters, . . . . . . 195.20
From sailing and fishing-parties, . . . . . . . . . . . 115.00
From Mr. Benton, as a compensation for taking our boats, 25.00
Our part of Clapp & St. John's reward, . . . . . . . . . 1,000.00
Sale of ambergris, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,517.50
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Making a total of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,223.71
Our total expenses have been . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263.19
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Leaving a net balance of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,960.52