SALVAGE.

It would have been a hard task to find a happier family, either on the keys or the mainland, than that composed of the castaways. Since Dr. Harlan had taken his departure there was nothing to fear, and Gertie and Ben, with Jake acting as guard and guide, explored every portion of that quaint little city known as Key West.

Each morning they visited the market, where provisions of all kinds are disposed of at auction rather than by private sale, and the novelty of such a proceeding afforded them no slight amount of amusement. At other times, and very often, they went to the docks where the sponge-fishers, with a fleet of boats towed behind a wide-beamed schooner, brought from the gulf all sorts of queer-looking marine plants, shells or turtles.

The fish-wharf, crowded with smacks, canoes or tiny vessels was another favorite resort, and Gertie was soon able to give the proper names to the grunts, groupers, porgies, snappers, hog-fish, Jew-fish, yellow-tails, spots, Spanish mackerel or king-fish.

At least twice each week the little party searched for shells, always returning home with a large collection of beautiful specimens, and once Jake hired a sponge-fisher’s outfit, which they used unsuccessfully for about twelve hours.

During an excursion to the fish market they saw three of the Seminole Indians from their reservation in the Everglades, and very disappointing was the sight to Gertie. She had expected that real Indians always wore plenty of feathers, carried a quantity of weapons, and were fierce in the extreme; but here was Little Tiger, Big Charley and Tommy Doctor appearing as mild as Quakers.

They wore calico shirts, buckskin leggings and moccasins, with huge, bright-colored turbans; but with neither hatchet nor scalping-knife in sight, and they bargained and haggled over the sale of their fish like any peaceable native.

Ben wanted to ask them about their villages on the mainland; but Gertie felt such a sense of injury at their very ordinary appearance that she would not stop for an interview, and when the children left, the son of the once dreaded Tiger Tail was disputing with a negro woman over the price of a very small snapper.

The time of waiting for the adjudication of the salvage claim seemed neither long nor dreary, even though it was six weeks before the matter was settled. Old Chloe was well content to remain at home with the cat; Captain Irwin had quite as much business on hand as could be attended to, and the others spent nearly all the hours of daylight in the open air.

Finally the day came when there was nothing more for which the castaways were obliged to remain at Key West. The claim for salvage was adjusted, and Ben was absolutely astonished at his share of the amount, which proved to be one thousand dollars. Captain Irwin received three thousand, while Jake and the sole survivor of the Mermaid were awarded two thousand each.

“It was hard work,” Captain Irwin said on the night after the money had been paid and “the family” were discussing the matter, “but we made good wages. How much of your father’s money was spent for Gertie, Ben?”

“Almost two hundred dollars.”

“Then you’ve got eighteen hundred in all, and the three of us are worth nearly seven thousand dollars, quite enough for a good start in business. Now, I have a proposition to make, and if it doesn’t suit either you or Jake, don’t hesitate to say so. There is a little schooner called the Restless--one of the prettiest models I ever saw--lying off the fish-wharf for sale. She has been in the New York fruit trade; but her captain, who was also the owner, is dead, and his heirs want to dispose of her for cash. We can close the bargain for five thousand dollars, and she is actually worth seven. I have been talking with the firm who chartered her during the past three years, and they agree to give me the first call if I buy her. Now, I’ll take three-fifths, and Jake and Ben one-fifth each, or we’ll go in as equal partners.”

“How large is she?” the cook asked.

“One hundred and eighty tons, with the neatest little galley that ever held a stove.”

“Then I go in for buying her,” Jake replied promptly.

“How much will one-third cost?” Ben asked.

“Sixteen hundred and sixty-six dollars and a few cents.”

“Then I go in for an equal share,” Ben said, delighted at having such an opportunity to become a ship-owner, and Jake concluded that it would be to his advantage to own as much as either of his companions, instead of allowing the captain to be the largest stockholder.

“We’ll go down to-morrow morning and have one more look at her. Chloe and Gertie had better come along also, for they’ll surely want to know what the cabin is like.”

“Is she hitched up to de wharf?” the old woman asked quickly.

“No; she’s anchored out in the harbor; but one of the tenders is moored at McKesson and Robbins’ dock, and it is large enough----”

“Dey can’t make dem little aig-shells big enuff fur yer ole mammy,” Chloe said with great emphasis. “I’se ’bused my po’ bones too much sence I done lef’ Georgy, an’ I ain’t gwine to drag ’em ’round any mo’.”

“Then you shall stay here and cook a regular thanksgiving dinner, for most likely it will be ship-owners instead of poor castaways who’ll dine with you this noon.”

“Who ever dey is de vittles ’ll be right dar smokin’ hot, an’ it won’t be no sich trash as sailor-men hab ter eat.”

“Just wait till you get on board of our schooner to go to New York,” Jake said, laughing heartily at the old woman’s allusion to his skill as a cook, “an’ then you’ll find out that sailor-men ain’t starved, more especially them as lives in the cabin.”

“I spects dat’ll be the time when I’se done gone choked to deaf fur a piece of bread,” old Chloe replied, raising her hands in horror with such a quick motion that the cat, who had been sleeping peacefully on her broad lap, jumped down in alarm.

The prospective ship-owners were ready to inspect the schooner at a very early hour next morning, and when they arrived on board Jake and Ben were in a perfect fever of delight.

The Restless had indeed a beautiful model, and Captain Irwin’s praise of her was not half-strong enough, so his companions thought. As she swung at anchor, pulling gently at her cables now and then, the spectator would have said that she was a pleasure yacht, and but one glance at the shapely black hull with its narrow band of gilt, was necessary to give a good idea of how swiftly she would fly before the wind when her white wings were spread.

“I never saw nothin’ like her before,” Jake said, as he stood aft and looked forward across the decks, which glistened white and smooth in the sunlight. “It don’t seem as if a craft like this oughter be made to work.”

“She was built especially for the fruit trade, and I fancy that nothing can catch her when once she’s given her head,” Captain Irwin said with an air of pride. “Now we’ll show Gertie the cabin, and then look around forward.”

The saloon, which seemed very large for a craft the size of the Restless, was what one might expect from the appearance of the outside--cool, dainty and finished in the best of taste, with various kinds and colors of polished wood. The furniture was cane, with the exception of a stationary dining-table, and the swinging-trays of highly polished glasses, lamps and mirrors gave a sparkle and life to the interior which exactly accorded with Gertie’s fancy.

Leading from this apartment were four tiny state-rooms, each containing two bunks, a chest of drawers, wash-stand, mirror, lamp and one chair. These sleeping quarters were not more than half as large as those on the Sea Queen, but that was by no means a serious defect in the eyes of the party who proposed to purchase what Captain Irwin pronounced the most perfect vessel he had ever seen.

“She’s just beautiful!” Gertie exclaimed, after every room had been inspected and they were in the saloon once more. “If you buy her, and let Chloe, the cat and me sail with you all the time, there’ll be nothing more for which we can ask.”

“I’m afraid you would think differently after we made two or three voyages and you saw other girls with pretty dresses or trinkets,” the captain said laughingly. “I’ll promise that you shall cruise in her now and then; but you and Ben are going to school when we arrive in New York, and it’ll be a couple of years at least before he signs the shipping papers.”

“Then we’ll spend our vacations on board, and call every night while you are in port,” Gertie said gleefully as the captain led the way forward, where Jake in turn expressed his perfect satisfaction with that portion of the schooner which would most naturally interest him.

“That’s a galley what is a galley, an’ after I’ve been in it twenty-four hours I’ll knock old Chloe’s eye out with the style of our dinners, or agree never to lift a skillet agin.”

From stem to stern, above and below, the prospective purchasers of the Restless went on their tour of inspection, and when it was finished no one had a single fault to find. It was not necessary for the captain to ask Jake and Ben if they were still willing to buy the schooner; both urged him to go on shore with the least possible delay and conclude the trade, lest some one else should accept the offer.

Two hours later the transfer of the jaunty little vessel was effected, and when they went home to the feast Chloe was supposed to be preparing, the Restless had been chartered to load with fruit as soon as she could be made ready for sea.

Old Chloe was the only one who did not feel delighted because of this accession of property, and her failure to participate in the general joy arose from the dislike of trusting her precious body on the water again.

“I don’t like dis yere scurryin’ ’roun’ on de sea,” she said very decidedly. “Ef yer wants ter go any whar in de steam-cars, Mammy Chloe’s on han’, an’ den she knows all de time whar she is; but dis gittin’ inter a little boat an’ bein’ blowed frum one part ob de world to de odder is jes’ flyin’ in de face ob Providence, kase yer nebber knows noting ’bout youseself.”

“We won’t ask you to take but one trip, aunty,” Captain Irwin said when mirth would permit of speech. “After we arrive in New York you shall be anchored in some comfortable little cottage, and you needn’t ever so much as look at water, except while washing your face.”

“If I kin drag my po’ ole bones dat far it’ll be a marcy,” Chloe said with a sigh, “but I ’specs we’se all gwine ter be drowned two or free times ’fore we gits dere.”