Part 8 (1/2)
”Say it, Lawry, say it,” added Mr. Sherwood kindly.
”You said you would give the steamer to any one who wanted her,”
continued Lawry, hesitating.
”And you want her?” laughed the wealthy gentleman.
”Yes, sir; that is what I was going to say.”
”Then she is yours, Lawry; but I might as well give you the fee simple of a farm in Ethiopia. I don't feel as though I had given you anything, my boy.”
”Indeed you have, sir! I feel as though you had made my fortune for me; and I am very much obliged to you, sir.”
”I don't believe you have anything to thank me for, Lawry. As I understand it, the _Woodville_ lies on the bottom of the lake, with her bow stove in, and her hull as useless as though the parts had never been put together. The engine and the iron and bra.s.s work are worth a good deal of money, I know; but it will cost all they will bring to raise them.”
”I don't think the steamer is ruined, sir. I hope you are not giving her away believing that she is not worth anything,” said Lawry.
”I don't think she is worth much.”
”I think she stove a great hole in her bow, and that is all that ails her. If we can get her on the ways, she can be made as good as ever she was in a week.”
”Whatever her condition, Lawry, she is yours. I will give you a bill of sale of her at once.”
Mr. Sherwood executed the paper in due form, affixed the stamp, and gave the doc.u.ment to the young pilot.
”I can hardly help weeping when I think of the beautiful little steamer,” said Mrs. Sherwood. ”She was a perfect little fairy. How elated we were as we moved up the lake in her! What fine times we were promising ourselves on board of her! Now the dear little craft lies on the bottom of the lake, broken and spoiled!”
”I shouldn't dare to put my foot in her again,” added Miss f.a.n.n.y. ”I shudder when I think of her.”
”I shudder when I think of you, f.a.n.n.y. You were sinking when Lawry dived down after you,” said Mr. Sherwood.
”We ought all to be grateful to G.o.d for His mercy in saving us,”
added f.a.n.n.y Jane.
”I trust we are grateful to Him; and I am sure we shall never forget what Lawry has done to-day,” responded the gentleman.
”Never!” exclaimed f.a.n.n.y warmly.
”It was all my fault,” continued Mr. Sherwood. ”I am ashamed of myself, and disgusted with the boat.”
”The boat is not to blame, sir,” said Ethan French. ”She behaved like a lady.”
”I know she is not to blame. It was my silly impatience. I was in such a hurry to try the steamer that I could not wait for a pilot.
Bertha, do you know what your father used to say to me when I was in a hurry?”
”I don't know; but I have heard him say that you were too impatient for your own good.”
”'Haste and Waste' was his maxim, when I was not disposed to wait the natural development of events. By neglecting this precept, I have nearly sacrificed the lives of my best friends. Lawry, if you are going to be a steamboat man, let me give you this maxim for your government--'Haste and Waste.'”