Part 30 (1/2)
”I can't leave the wheel, sir.”
”But don't you want some dinner?”
”I'll have my dinner when we get to Whitehall. Haste makes waste, you know; and if I should be in a hurry to eat my dinner we might get aground, or be smashed up on the rocks.”
”I suppose you are right, Lawry, and I will do the honors of the table for you,” laughed Mr. Sherwood.
The dinner was not only satisfactory, but it was warmly praised; and Mrs. Light was made as happy as the captain by the enthusiastic encomiums bestowed upon her taste and skill in the culinary art.
The _Woodville_ reached Whitehall at two o'clock, where the party went on sh.o.r.e to spend an hour. While they were absent Lawry and all hands had their dinner, the cabins and the deck were swept, and everything put in order. Quite a number of people visited the little steamer while she lay at the pier; and a gentleman engaged her to take out a party the next Sat.u.r.day, with dinner for twenty-four persons. When Mr. Sherwood returned, he had let her for another day.
At three o'clock the _Woodville_ started for Port Rock. The party were still in high spirits, and the singing was resumed when the wheels began to turn. On the way down, she stopped at Ticonderoga, while her appearance so delighted a party of pleasure-seekers that she was engaged for another day, and a dinner for twenty spoken for.
”Lawry, you must have an engagement-book, or you will forget some of your parties,” said Mr. Sherwood, who stood by the pilot, in the wheel-house, when the steamer started.
”I have put them all down on a piece of paper, sir. I will get a book when I go to Burlington.”
”Which will be to-morrow. I had engaged her for four days when you came up with her from Port Henry; but I'm afraid we shall work you too hard.”
”No fear of that, sir. I only hope I shall be able to pay you that money you advanced this morning.”
”Don't say a word about that. Let me see: you are engaged in Burlington to-morrow, to me the next day, and in Whitehall on the following day.”
”I will get a book and put them down, sir.”
”But you must be in Burlington by eight o'clock tomorrow morning.”
”We can run up to-night.”
”You will get no sleep if you run all night.”
”I think we shall want another fireman.”
”You will: for in order to keep your engagements you will occasionally have to run nights.”
At eight o'clock the _Woodville_ landed her pa.s.sengers at Port Rock, and as the gentlemen went ash.o.r.e, they gave three cheers for the little steamer and her little captain.
CHAPTER XVII
BURLINGTON TO ISLE LA MOTTE
On his way home, Mr. Sherwood went to the ferry-house and satisfied himself that the mortgage on the place had been canceled. Mrs.
Wilford was profuse in the expression of her grat.i.tude to him for his kindness to the family, and hoped that Lawry and his father would be able to pay him back the whole sum.
”Mrs. Wilford, so far as grat.i.tude and obligation are concerned, the balance is still largely against me. Millions of dollars would not pay the debt I owe to your son.”
”Oh, Lawry don't think anything of that, sir!”