"No, I guess not," replied Budd with a smile; "but haven't we enough cash on hand now to have the alterations made in the sloop?"
"Yes, I think so," replied his partner; "and if you are agreed, we'll take her down to Saunderstown, Monday morning, and leave her there for the alterations. We ought to get her again by Wednesday or Thursday, and can spare her better the fore part of the week than the last."
"All right," consented Judd.
It would be altogether too long a story, however interesting it might be, to follow the lads in their work day by day. Not every day was a fortunate one; nor did they always sell their stock completely out. Still, as June came in there began to be some demand for the sloop for fishing or sailing-parties, and this helped out the revenue. There also came occasionally an unusual haul of fish, which added no small sum of money to their treasury.
For instance, one June morning the lads were running down the bay to visit their lobster-pots. All at once Budd, who was forward, called out:
"Judd, look at this school of fish!"
The lad addressed glanced in the direction his companion had pointed, and the next moment had altered the course of the sloop and was running directly for the school. When within a few rods of it he exclaimed:
"It is as I thought; they are mackerel, and we are in luck. Get out our lines, take off the sinkers, and tie on some bits of white rag as quick as you can."
In wonder, Budd obeyed the directions. Meantime Judd had brought the sloop directly into the head of the school, and put up her helm and lashed it.
"Now throw over your lines, and pull in as fast as possible," were Judd's orders.