Budd Boyd's Triumph Part 6

"Which is worth how much?" interrupted Budd.

"Perhaps ten dollars," replied his partner, with a look of encouragement. "It's a pretty good yawl; and then I have a little over five dollars in money; that is all."

"No, it is not," Budd said. "How about the things over at the shanty?

They are yours, are they not?"

"Yes; and as the shanty don't belong to pop, they ought to be moved. If we get the island, we can bring everything over here, and set up housekeeping in pretty decent style."

"Exactly," went on Budd, smilingly; "and while they are yours, I shall be having the benefit of them, and that is worth considerable. But there is one thing you possess more valuable yet, and for which you ought to have full allowance."

"What do you mean?" asked Judd, in wonder.

"Knowledge of the business," responded Budd. "I can row or sail a boat--have been used to that all my life; but I know nothing of this bay, its fishing or clamming-grounds, and I am almost a stranger in the community, while you are well known. Now, I'll tell you what I'm willing to do, though to my mind I shall have the best of the bargain. I'll put in my thirty dollars against your boat, your household goods, and your fuller knowledge of the grounds on which we are to operate, and we'll be equal partners--provided, of course, we can hire the island. What do you say?"

Judd arose from his seat with a sparkling face and crossed over to where his chum was sitting.

"Here's my hand on it; and I say, Budd, you are a brick," was his rather ambiguous but expressive answer.

Budd had caught something of his companion's enthusiasm, and with intense eagerness he continued:

"Now as to our plan of operations. In this you must be the chief adviser."

"Thirty-five dollars in money as a basis," said Judd, slowly. "If we only had a hundred, I would say invest in a fish-pound. As it is, we will have to content ourselves with smaller operations at first. A gill-net would work nicely over in 'the narrows' at the south of 'The Hummocks,' and would cost about eight dollars. We must have that."

"How do you work it?" inquired Budd.

"It has large meshes, and you can stretch it right across 'the narrows,'

fastening it to stakes on either side so as to keep it upright. The leads on the lower edge keep that down to the bottom. We will set it at night just at the turning of the tide to go out: then whatever fish are up the cove will come down against it, and more or less of them will get their heads through the meshes and be caught. Six hours after, the tide will turn, and all fish going into the cove will come up against the opposite side, and some of them will be caught. In the morning we will pull it, and leave it up until the next night. We ought to get as many fish that way as we can with our hooks--perhaps more; and thus we will have a double quant.i.ty to dispose of," exclaimed Judd.

"Good!" exclaimed his comrade. "What next?"

"We must put in some lobster-pots also; but those we can make, and two dollars will buy all the necessary lumber. That will take ten dollars, and leave us twenty-five. With that we must buy the sloop Sea Witch, and then we can take out sailing or fishing-parties in good shape, as well as make the wind do a large part of our work for us. It will save lots of time and labor, as well as add to our revenue."

"It can't be much of a boat for that money," remarked Budd.

"You wouldn't say so, if you had seen her," declared Judd. "She is eighteen feet long, has a small cabin, is rigged with sail and jib, and cost just seventy-five dollars last summer. She belongs to a rich man who spent the summer here a year ago. He had her built for his son, who knew no more about a boat than a two-year-old child. He capsized her one day, and nearly lost his life, and now she is for sale. Nothing is the matter with her, except she carries too much canvas. Cut off a foot of her mast, trim down her sail and jib, ballast her a little more heavily, and I'll warrant her to outsail anything of her length about here, and to be a good boat in a heavy sea also. I've examined her a dozen times, and talked with the man that made her. He'll tell you that it's just as I say. Of course her misfortune has prejudiced people against her, and that is why she can be bought so low. Once get her fixed, and we can sail her under a reef until we have earned the money to pay for the alterations. I wouldn't take a dollar less for her than she originally cost."

"All right! I'm ready to accept your judgment, and we certainly will be equipped better than I expected," remarked Budd.

"Then we must advertise our new firm and business by posters and in the local paper. I guess the printer will do the work for us and take his pay in trade, for I've sold him fish several times," went on Judd.

"Yes, we must do that," admitted his partner; "and we'll draw up our advertis.e.m.e.nt to-night. In the morning you can set me over onto 'The Hummocks,' and I will go up to Mr. Wright's, and consult with him about the hiring of the island and get my things. I'll join you in the village, where you can await my coming; and if we are successful in getting the island, we will make the other purchases, and by night be in readiness to begin moving your goods over here. By Monday next we can be all equipped for business."

"Let us keep together through all the arrangements," suggested Judd.

"Very well," consented Budd; and they returned to the house for the night.

Early the next morning the young partners set out upon the various business enterprises necessary to complete their arrangements. Mr.

Wright willingly went with them to see the owners of the island, and they secured it at a rental of two dollars per month, and took a written lease to that effect. The sailboat, lumber and gill-net were purchased in rapid succession, and the matter of advertising placed in the printer's hands. The next day the household articles were removed from the shanty to the island and arranged in the house. Only the three rooms on the ground floor were needed by the lads, and were settled as kitchen, sitting-room and bedroom. That day, also, posters were scattered about the village, and an advertis.e.m.e.nt appeared in the columns of the village weekly, as follows:

NEW FIRM! NEW FIRM!

BOYD & FLOYD.

We, the undersigned, would announce to the citizens of this community that we have this day formed a partnership, to be known as Boyd & Floyd.

Our headquarters will be at Fox Island, which we have rented of the owners. We shall have fish, oysters, clams, lobsters and scallops for sale, each in their season. On Tuesdays and Fridays of each week we shall be in the surrounding villages, ready to fill all orders in our line. On the other days of the week all orders dropped in the village post-office, Box 118, will secure prompt attention. Hotels and boarding-houses will be supplied at wholesale rates. Sailing or fishing-parties will be taken out in our sloop Sea Witch at reasonable prices. This boat is to be remodeled, and made sea-worthy in every respect. By honest dealing, fair charges, and prompt attention, we hope to secure our share of your patronage.

BUDD BOYD.

JUDD FLOYD.

Fox Island, May 20, 18--.

It was late on Sat.u.r.day evening when the lads got back to the island after carrying around their posters. They were very tired from their long tramp of the day and the other work their plans had necessitated; but they were contented, for they felt that their firm was now fully organized and launched out upon the world.

CHAPTER VII.--BUSINESS BOOMS.

The cry, "Wake up, Budd! All hands ahoy!" greeted Budd's ears early Monday morning. He opened his eyes at the command.

The sun had not yet risen. The faint light of early dawn was coming in through the last window of the room. Judd was out of bed and busily dressing, and he it was who had given the call. The next moment Budd was beside him, and they chatted away like magpies as they completed their dressing. The whole outline for the day's work was soon laid out.

"It will be low tide at nine o'clock, and we must have breakfast eaten and be on our clamming-grounds at least two hours before that," Judd said, by way of beginning the conversation.

"And where is it you said we would go?" Budd responded.

"Down the bay to the upper end of Plum Beach Point," was the answer.

"There hasn't been much digging there this season, and we ought to find clams plenty and of good size. We'll dig there until the turn of the tide; then we'll go across the bay, under the lee of Conanicut, where there is a sunken ledge, off which, if I'm not much mistaken, I'll show you as good fishing as you ever enjoyed."

"What'll we be likely to catch?" Budd then inquired, just as they both entered the kitchen and began preparations for breakfast.

"Rock-ba.s.s, tautog, and the everywhere-present and forever-biting sea-perch," Judd laughingly answered.

"What about the gill-net?"

"Oh, we'll put that in just at night, and get another run of fish entirely different. Scup, b.u.t.terfish, and succoteague, or weak-fish, will probably be the princ.i.p.al kinds we shall haul then. That will give us quite a variety for our sale to-morrow," explained Judd.

Breakfast was eaten, a lunch packed, and lines, baskets and hoes stowed on board the sloop by sunrise. In fact the golden orb peeped above Conanicut, and sent a dazzling gleam down across the dancing waters, just as the lads weighed anchor, hoisted the sails, and with a gentle breeze from the northwest started down the bay. A half-hour later they had run within fifty yards of Plum Beach Point, where they anch.o.r.ed.

Putting baskets and hoes in the yawl, which was in tow, they cast off the painter and rowed ash.o.r.e. The tide was well out. Under the click of the hoes the clams sent up their tiny spouts of water, revealing their hiding-places; and, throwing off their coats, the boys were soon at work.

For over two hours they toiled without interruption; then Judd, who had been watching the waves for an instant, cried out:

"Hold up, Budd! The tide has turned, and we must be off for our fishing-grounds. First, however, we will wash and sort over these bivalves--the large and sound ones for the trade, the small and broken ones for bait. Here goes!"