His two companions heartily agreed to this statement. It was clearly the only honest course to take.
It was late when they at last got to sleep, and consequently late when they awoke.
As soon as they had breakfasted, Charley and the captain started for Clearwater, leaving Chris to look after Walter's wants.
On the Clearwater dock they found Bill Roberts and his two brothers.
"I'll keep an eye on your launch until you come back, if both of you want to go up to the fish house," Bill offered, a proposal they gladly accepted.
For a wonder Mr. Daniels was not busy and Charley poured out the story of their losses in a manly, straightforward manner.
"We don't want you to think that we are asking you to take up our quarrels for us," he concluded, flushing. "We simply want to make it plain that we have done the very best we knew how. As we figure it, we owe you now about one hundred and fifty dollars which the prospects do not look very bright for our paying at present. If you have any work we can do, we will gladly work out the debt. If not, we will have to wait until we can get to earning again. But we will pay you every cent just as soon as we possibly can."
"Don't worry your head about the debt," said Mr. Daniels, heartily. "I am sure you and your companions have done your best and I am truly sorry you have met with so many misfortunes. What you owe the fish house can stand until you are able to pay it. If I owned the business, I would cancel the debt entirely but I am only manager here."
"You are very kind to take it this way," Charley said, gratefully. "I was afraid you might be angry at the failure we have made."
Mr. Daniels smiled. "What you have told me about your troubles is not exactly news to me," he said. "You have good friends in those Roberts boys and they have kept me pretty well posted as to how things were going. I would have got rid of that Hunter gang long ago but they are deeply in debt to the Company and the only chance to get any of it back is to take out a little, each week, from the fish they catch. You see, I have got to consider the Company's interests always above my personal wishes.