Part 12 (1/2)

”You might take the money from the life insurance; for Mr. Freeman will perhaps sell us the house, if we pay nine hundred dollars down.”

”I won't do that, mother. My boat shall be bought with my own earnings.”

”I will lend you the money, then.”

”No, I won't get in debt.”

”But a new boat would be safer.”

”The old one is safe enough; all the fault I find with her is, that it takes her so long to get down to the fis.h.i.+ng ground.”

Paul resolutely refused to run in debt, or to touch the money which had been appropriated for the purchase of the house. He intended, when he had time, to fix up the old boat, and rig a jib on, which he thought would overcome his princ.i.p.al objection to her.

When he went to bed that night, he entered the proceeds of this day's work in his book, and then with pardonable pride, he congratulated himself on the sum total of the earnings of the two days.

CHAPTER VIII.

PAUL TAKES A COLD BATH.

The limits of our little volume do not permit us to follow Paul Duncan into the minutiae of his prosperous business, and we are reminded that great events in his experience are yet to be introduced. He was successful in his undertaking, though, like all in this inconstant world, he was subjected to trials and disappointments. There were some days when it was so rough off the rocks that he could not fish; and there were others when he had to travel many miles before he could sell his fish. During John's vacation, his receipts amounted to about two dollars a day, which went a great way in counter-balancing the ill luck of the next week. On an average, he earned about a dollar a day.

He had won a reputation in Bayville which helped him a great deal in disposing of his merchandise. People saw him working hard to supply the place of his father, and they were glad to encourage him, as there are always found enough who are willing to help those that help themselves.

The sympathy and kindness of his neighbors were a great a.s.sistance to him, and no doubt without them his fish would have oftener been a drug in the market.

Paul inherited some portion of his father's mechanical skill; and on the first stormy day after he set up in business, he commenced his contemplated improvements upon the old boat. She was a very poor subject to work upon, but he got out the wood for building a half deck over her, which he fitted on as he had opportunity. A short bowsprit was added to her rig, and his mother made him a jib, which he cut out himself. Thus refitted, the old boat, though her main defects could not be remedied, was much improved, and worked better than before. She was far from coming up to the young fisherman's ideal of a trim craft, and he cherished a strong hope that before many years had pa.s.sed away, he should have the satisfaction of sailing such a boat as his fancy had already clearly defined. The time was closer at hand than he suspected.

One day, early in the month of July, Paul was making his way home from the rock in a smart blow. While he was fis.h.i.+ng, the wind had hauled round to the northeast, and continued to freshen till it became a reefing breeze. He had got but a small fare of fish, for the heavy sea had interfered with his operations. He disliked to leave the fis.h.i.+ng ground, but it was sufficiently evident to him that a storm was approaching. He had often promised his mother that he would be very careful, and the present seemed a proper time to exercise that caution.

John was with him, and in spite of this bold youth's most earnest protest, he got up the anchor and made sail for home.

”What are you afraid of, Paul?” demanded John, with evident disgust.

”You are a pretty sailor! Don't you see it is going to blow a young hurricane?”

”What if it does? I should like to be out in a blow once. I want to know what it's like,” replied the reckless boy.

”You may know now, before you get home. Don't you see the white caps on the waves off to windward?”

”I like the looks of them, and it's fun to skip over them.”

”I don't want to worry mother. She's at the window by this time, looking out for the boat. Do you think there is any fun in making her uneasy?

Besides, I don't think it is safe to stay here any longer. There comes the Flyaway under jib and mainsail.”

”What of it?”

”She went down to be gone all day. What do you suppose she's coming back for at this early hour?”

”I suppose Captain Littleton didn't want to make the women seasick,”