CHAPTER III.
PREPARATIONS.
AS soon as they got back into town, Mr. Driver hunted up the man ofwhom he had spoken, and, introducing him to each of the little party,hurried back to his store.
Mr. Williams was a young man still in his twenties. He was a stocky,well-built young fellow with an intelligent face, determined manner,and a short, crisp way of speaking. He sized up the little party withone quick appraising glance as Captain Westfield stated their errand.
"If you are not willing to stand hardships, dirt, discomfort, anddanger, you want nothing to do with sponging," he declared.
"We can stand anything that it pays us to stand," Charley replied,quickly.
"Well, that's the right kind of spirit," approved the young man, "but,of course you don't any of you realize what you will have to meet. I'veseen others start in with the same confidence and get cold feet beforethe first trip was over. It isn't any nice, ladies' pink-tea business.It's a game for real men, but if the men are the right kind, theyget their reward for what they endure, all right, all right. I landedhere with an empty pocket and emptier stomach, and now,--well, I amnot a John D. Rockefeller yet, but I've got enough laid by to keep thewolf from the door for a good many years. Better men than I have donebetter than I have. It's like everything else, the best man wins, andwins something worth winning, but, as I have said, it's no business fornice, tender, little Willie boys, it's a man's game."
Charley grinned in sympathy with the reliant, independent spirit of theyoung fellow which was close kin to his own traits. "We left off ourshort pants last summer," he observed, gravely, "we are fast learningto dress ourselves, and the Captain there can even comb his own hair."
"Good," chuckled the other, "I guess _you_ will pass muster anyway, soI will give you some idea of what you will have to expect. First, thereis the loneliness. For three months at a time you'll be at sea withoutanother soul to talk to, for there are very few of the Greeks who speakEnglish. With a party like yours it would not be so bad for you wouldbe company for each other, but for the American captains who go outalone with a crew of Greeks, it's awful. I've known some to go crazyfor sheer loneliness, and few ever make a second trip,--I'll neverforget my first experience. Second, sponging is a dirty business, thestench from dying sponges will upset any but the strongest stomachs.Third, there are the dangers, storms, accidents, and troubles with thecrew. I have never had any serious trouble with my own men, but then Iunderstand their lingo and that counts for a good deal, and, besidesthey all know me around here and know that I will shoot first andexplain afterwards--that counts for still more."
"All that is interesting, but it ain't to the pint," said CaptainWestfield. "The question is what can one make off a trip. I reckon themlittle things you're telling about is just details."
"I'm afraid you'll find them pretty serious details," Mr. Williamssaid with a laugh, "but you are right, the money point is the mainthing. That's the only thing that has kept me in the business. Well, Ihad considerable _bad_ luck last trip but I cleaned up three thousanddollars. I've been doing better than that."
The chums looked at each other with expressive faces while Mr.Williams' keen black eyes twinkled as he watched them.
"I seed a schooner down at the harbor," observed Captain Westfield,carelessly. "She was a pretty looking little craft and her name justseemed to fit her--'The Beauty'. If she's good an' sound an' for sale,I might be willing to give a thousand dollars for her."
Mr. Williams laughed, "You are not the first sailor who has fallenin love with the 'Beauty'. She is the finest ever. She has led thesponging fleet for three seasons. Many have tried to buy her butcouldn't. You are in luck, however. Her owner died last week and I havejust received a letter from his widow asking me to find a purchaser forher. You can have her as she lays for thirteen hundred dollars, and sheis dirt cheap at that."
"Will you hold that offer open until ten o'clock to-night?" asked thecaptain, "we will want to talk it all over a bit."
Mr. Williams agreed to his request, and, after thanking him gratefullyfor his information, the little party took their departure.
"Back to the harbor," said the captain as soon as they were out ofhearing. "I want to take a good look at the 'Beauty'. If she isanyway near as good as she looks from a distance she's worth at leasttwenty-five hundred dollars. Why we could make a tidy sum by buyingher, sailing her around to Jacksonville, and selling her again."
They soon arrived at the harbor again where for a quarter they hired ayoung Greek to row them out to the schooner.
They found the little vessel all that her name implied. She was aboutsixty-five feet long and broad for her length. She looked more like agentleman's yacht than a sponging vessel and they were all delightedwith her appearance. But pleased as they were with her on deck, theywere even more pleased with her below. There, they found a largemain cabin with swinging lamps, hanging sideboard, easy chairs, andcomfortable furnishings. Opening into the main cabin were found roomystaterooms, two on a side, furnished with large bunks containingspringy mattresses. Instead of the small portholes, common with craftsof her size, each stateroom was provided with windows of heavy glass toadmit air and light.
Up forward at the foremast was the forecastle, or crew's quarters. Itwas large, comfortable and well equipped with bunks. Aft of it wasthe cook's galley, containing a good stove and plenty of pots, pansand kettles. Everything was exquisitely neat and clean. But CaptainWestfield was not content with a mere survey of cabin and furnishings.He unfurled several of the sails and examined the canvas closely. Hetested the strength of rope after rope. He climbed aloft and lookedover blocks, stays, and running gear. Lastly, he descended into thehold and examined all that was visible of the vessel's ribs andplanking.
"She's as tidy a little craft as I ever saw," he declared, when he atlast rejoined the boys back by the wheel. "She ain't over six years oldan' her sails an' rigging are all new. She's worth twenty-five hundreddollars of any man's money if she's worth a cent. All we have got todo it to buy her and carry her around to some lively port an' we canmake twelve hundred dollars as easy as finding it."
"What's the use of selling her right off if we buy her," Waltersuggested, "Surely a few months' use will not lessen her value to anygreat extent. Why not make a couple of trips sponging in her. I amanxious to have a try for some of that big money they all talk about.We will never have a better chance than now. At the worst, we wouldonly lose the price of a few months' provisions, we would still haveour vessel worth far more than we paid for her."
"You've hit the nail right on the head," the captain exclaimed,delightedly. "That's just what I've been studying over, but I reckonedI'd wait an' see if either of you boys proposed it."
Charley hesitated before agreeing to his chum's proposal. "I confess,I am not so anxious to try the sponge business as I was," he remarked."First, we know nothing about it ourselves, and would have to dependentirely upon hired help--which is a bad thing to have to do inany business. Second, I don't like the Greeks, I don't like theirappearances, I don't like the reputation they have, and I don't likethe idea of being with a gang that doesn't understand English."
"Bosh," Walter replied, lightly, "we will get along all right withthem. It isn't like one lone man being out with them, there are fourof us and they wouldn't dare start trouble with so many. As for makingthem understand, why we can hire a man as interpreter. I believe it'sthe best chance to make money we've had yet."
"And I too," Captain Westfield agreed. "I reckon we'd be foolish tolet such a chance slip by. That young fellow Williams says he's madeconsiderable."
"But he made several trips and learned the business before he went intoit on his own hook," Charley objected. "However, I am not going to holdback if the rest of you want to try it."
"Good," exclaimed the captain, "we will go right back and settle thedeal with Williams. We'll make money off the schooner if we don't offthe sponging."
They found Mr. Williams still in his office. The
thirteen hundreddollars was paid over and they received a bill of sale for the'Beauty', one diving boat and everything the schooner contained.
"You've got a good boat at a mighty low price," he said. "There is noreason why you shouldn't make well with her, if you just use commonsense. Doubtless, you have heard lots of hard things about the Greeks,but I don't believe they are half as bad as they are painted. Half ofthe trouble captains have with them comes from their not understandingeach other. Get a reliable man to translate your orders, and you willget along all right although you will find it a hard life. I wish Icould help you select your crew but I have to go to Tampa to-morrow,and will not be back until the fleet sails. We will see each otheragain on the sponging grounds, if not before. I wish you the best ofluck until we meet."
The now tired little party bade the hustling young man good-bye andrepaired to the small hotel where they engaged rooms and meals.
After supper Charley unpacked his valise and got out the silver-mountedrevolver presented to him by Mr. Weston. He noted its calibre andsauntering down to the hardware store purchased several boxes ofcartridges of a size to fit. He gave a couple of boxes to Walter whopossessed the exact duplicate of his weapon.
"That's my first preparation for our trip," he said laughing.
But, although he spoke lightly, he was troubled by vague misgivingsthat their new venture was not going to be the smooth sailing hiscompanions believed. For one thing, he doubted if rough, blunt,quick-tempered Captain Westfield was just the man to successfullyhandle the suave, oily, treacherous Greeks.