The Yacht Club | Page 9

like her, Sam?" said Donald to a young man of his own age in the standing-room with him.
"First rate; and I hope your father will go to work on mine at once," replied the passenger.
"You will lay down the keel on Monday--won't you, father?"
"What?" asked Mr. Ramsay, who had seated himself on a log on the wharf.
"You will lay down the keel of the boat for Mr. Rodman on Monday--won't you?" repeated Donald.
"Yes, if I am able; I don't feel very well to-day." And the boat-builder doubled himself up, as though he was in great pain.
The young man in the standing-room of the Sea Foam was Samuel Rodman, a schoolmate of Donald, whose father was a wealthy man, and had ordered another boat like the Skylark, which had been the model for the new yacht. He had come down to see the craft, and had been invited to take a sail in her; but an engagement had prevented him from going as far as Turtle Head, and the boat-builder and his son had returned to land him, intending still to make the trip. By this time Captain Patterdale had reached the end of the wharf. He went on board of the Sea Foam, and looked her over with a critical eye, and was entirely satisfied with her. He was invited to sail in her for as short a time as he chose, but he declined.
"By the way, Donald, did you see the green tin box when you were in my library this afternoon?" he asked, when all the topics relating to the yacht had been disposed of.
"Yes, sir; I saw you take some money from it," replied Donald.
"Then you remember the box?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you notice it when you came out--I mean, when you left the house?"
"I don't remember seeing it when I came out," answered Donald, wondering what these questions meant.
"I want to get another box just like that one. Did you take particular notice of it?"
"No, sir; I can't say I did."
"You didn't stay any time in the library after you came down from Michael's room, did you?"
"No, sir; I only went for my hat, and didn't stay there a minute."
"And you didn't notice the tin box?"
"No, sir; I didn't see it at all when I came out."
"Then of course you didn't see any marks upon it," added the captain, with a smile.
"If I didn't see the box, I shouldn't have been likely to see the marks," laughed Donald. "What marks were they, sir?"
"It's of no consequence, if you didn't see them. The box was in the library--wasn't it?--when you went out."
"I don't know whether it was or not. I only know that I don't remember noticing it," said Donald, who thought the captain's question was a very queer one, after those he had just answered.
The nabob was no better satisfied with Donald's answers than he had been with those of Laud Cavendish, except that the former looked him full in the face when he spoke. He obtained no information, and went home to seek it at other sources.
"I think I won't go out again, Donald," said Mr. Ramsay, when Captain Patterdale had left. "I don't feel very well, and you may go alone."
"Do you feel very sick, father?" asked the son, in tones of sympathy.
"No; but I think I will go into the house and take some medicine. You can run over to Turtle Head alone," added the boat-builder, as he walked towards the house.
"Can't you go any how, Sam?" said Donald, turning to his friend.
"No, I must go home now. I have to drive over to Searsport after my sister," replied Sam, as he left the yacht, and walked up the wharf.
Donald hoisted the jib of the Sea Foam, shoved off her head, and laid her course, with the wind over the quarter, for Turtle Head--distant about seven miles.
CHAPTER III
THE YACHT CLUB AT TURTLE HEAD.
The Sea Foam was a sloop yacht, thirty feet in length, and as handsome as a picture in an illustrated paper, than which nothing could be finer. It was a fact that she had cost twelve hundred dollars; but even this sum was cheaper than she could have been built and fitted up in Boston or Bristol. She was provided with everything required by a first class yacht of her size, both for the comfort and safety of the voyager, as well as for fast sailing. Though Mr. Ramsay, her builder, was a ship carpenter, he was a very intelligent and well-read man. He had made yachts a specialty, and devoted a great deal of study to the subject. He had examined the fastest craft in New York and Newport, and had their lines in his head. And he was a very ingenious man, so that he had the tact to make the