Part 38 (2/2)

It chanced at Hook-and-Line Harbour before night--Skipper Bill had then for hours been gone towards Jolly Harbour--that a Labrador fishi+ng craft put in for water She was loaded deep; her decks were fairly aith her load of fish, and at best she was squat and old and rotten--a basket to put to sea in Here was no fleet craft; but she was south-bound, at any rate, and Archie Aret to St John's--to open the door of his father's office on the first of September as he had promised--to explain and to reassure and even to present in hard cash the value of a sloop yacht and a pony and a motor boat--was the boy's feverish deterrave words: ”Your honour is involved”

Perhaps he exaggerated the importance of them His honour? The boy had no wish to be excused--had no liking for fatherly indulgence He holly intent upon justifying his father's faith and satisfying his own sense of honourable obligation It must be fish or cash--fish or cash--and as it seemed it could not be fish it must therefore be cash

It must be hard cash--cash down--paid on the first of Septe the wharves

”Green Bay bound,” the skipper of the Labrador craft replied to Archie's question

That signified a landing at Ruddy Cove

”I'll go along,” said Archie

”Ye'll not,” the skipper snapped ”Ye'll not go along until ye mend your o along, will ye?” the skipper continued ”Is you the owner o' this here craft? Ye o or not is for htened in his father's way ”My na”

The skipper instantly touched his cap

”I'nity of which his otaken too e with you to Ruddy Cove, skipper, for which I'll pay”

”You're welcome, sir,” said the skipper

The _Wind and Tide_ lay at Hook-and-Line that night in fear of the sea that was running She rode so deep in the water, and her planks and rigging and sticks were at best so untrustworthy, that her skipper would not take her to sea Next , however--and Archie subsequently recalled it--nextthe wind blew fair for the southern ports Out put the old craft into a rising breeze and was presently ing her way towards Green Bay and Ruddy Cove But there was no reckless sailing Nothing that Archie could say with any appearance of propriety e her on She was deep, she was old; she ht fell, she was taken into harbour for shelter The wind still blew fair in the ; she made a better day of it, but was once ht Day after day she crept down the coast, lurching along in the light, with unearthly shrieks of pain and co silent in harbour in the dark

”'Wisht she'd 'urry up,'” thought Archie, with a dubious laugh, reust and coes of Ruddy Cove

”Mail-boat day,” he thought, jubilantly ”The _Wind and Tide_ will make it I'll be in St John's the day after to- up at thatto make the mail-boat,” said Archie ”She's due at Ruddy Cove soon after dark”

”She'll be on time,” said the skipper ”Hark!”

Archie heard the faint blast of a steamer's whistle

”Is it she?” asked the skipper

”Ay,” Archie exclai Fortune Harbour

She'll be at Ruddy Cove within the hour”

”I'm doubtin' that _ill,” said the skipper

”Will you not run up a topsail?” the boy pleaded

”Not for the queen o' England,” the skipper replied,forward