Haste and Waste Part 24

"Run her up here, Lawry!" shouted his wealthy friend. "Aye, aye, sir."

"You have taken this job out of my hands, sir," said Lawry, as he glanced at the wharf.

"Yes; I thought I could do it better than you could, as your time will be fully occupied."

"I think I should have found time enough to do what I intended; but of course I couldn't have built any such wharf as this."

"It is none too good."

"But I ought to pay for it out of the money I may earn with the boat."

"Never mind that, Lawry," added Mr. Sherwood.

The young captain explained what had been done during his absence, and informed his interested friend that the steamer was in condition to receive her furniture.

"Shall you have her ready for a trip by to-morrow?" asked Mr.

Sherwood.

"Yes, sir."

"Because I have taken the liberty to engage her, in your name, for several parties."

"You are very kind, sir," replied Lawry.

"Have you fixed upon any price for her?"

"Ethan and I were talking over the matter. We shall need some help on board, and that will cost money. Coal is pretty high up here on the lake."

"Well, how much did you intend to charge for her by the day, or the hour?"

"We thought about three dollars an hour," replied Lawry, with much diffidence.

"Three dollars an hour! You are too modest by half," laughed Mr.

Sherwood. "Make it five, at least. I told the parties I engaged for you that the price would not be less than fifty dollars a day."

"I'm afraid I shall make money too fast at that rate," added Lawry.

"No, you won't. It will cost a great deal of money to run the boat.

What do you pay your engineer?"

"I don't know, sir; we have made no bargain yet."

"If Ethan does a man's work, you must pay him a man's wages. I suppose he wants to make his fortune."

"What do you think he ought to have?" asked Lawry.

"Three dollars a day," replied Mr. Sherwood promptly. "I dare say Ethan would not charge you half so much; but that is about the wages of a man for running an engine in these times."

"I am satisfied, if that is fair wages; though it is a great deal more than I ever made."

"Engineers get high wages. Then you want a fireman."

"I can get a boy, who will answer very well for a fireman."

"I think not, Lawry. You need a man of experience and judgment. He can save his wages for you in coal. The man whom I employed as a fireman is just the person, and he is at the village now."

"What must I pay him, sir?"

"Two dollars a day. Then your parties will want some dinner on board, and you will need a cook, and two stewards. A woman to do the cooking, and two girls to tend the table, will answer your purpose.

You can obtain the three for about seven dollars a week; but your pa.s.sengers must pay extra for their meals, and you need not charge the expenses of the steward's department to the boat."

"If you expect to succeed, Lawry, you must do your work well. Your boat must be safe and comfortable, and your dinners nice and well served. You will want two deck-hands. Your expenses, including coal, oil for machinery, and hands, will be about twenty dollars a day. If you add repairs, of which steamboats are continually in need, you will run it up to twenty-five dollars a day."

"That will leave me a profit of twenty-five dollars a day," added Lawry, delighted at the thought.

"If you are employed every day, it will; but you cannot expect to do anything with parties for more than two months in the year."

"I can get some towing to do; and I may make something with pa.s.sengers."

"Parties will pay best in July and August, and perhaps part of September; but you must be wide-awake."

"I intend to be."

"I advise you to get up a handbill of your steamer, announcing that she is to be let to parties by the day, at all the large ports on the lake. There are plenty of wealthy people, spending the summer in this vicinity, who would be glad to engage her, even for a week at once."

"Will you write me a handbill, Mr. Sherwood?"

"Yes, and get it printed."

"Thank you, sir."

"The _Woodville_ is engaged to me for to-morrow," added Mr.

Sherwood.

CHAPTER XV

THE NEW CAPTAIN

Lawry was bewildered by the magnificence of the arrangements suggested by Mr. Sherwood; but if the _Woodville_ was to be employed in taking out parties of genteel people, nothing less magnificent would answer the purpose. His influential friend, it appeared, had already exerted himself to procure employment of this kind for the steamer, and the proprietor of the beautiful craft was not only willing to conform to his ideas, but was grateful for the kindly interest he manifested in the prosperity of the enterprise.

Mrs. Wilford had engaged a cook, and two girls for the steward's department; the fireman was sent for; and two boys were employed as deck-hands.

Now, Lawry thought it was quite necessary that his crew should be trained a little before any pa.s.sengers were received on board, and after Mr. Sherwood and his party had gone home, the fires were revived, and a short trip down the lake determined upon. As soon as there was steam enough for the purpose, the pilot, now the captain, rang his bell to back her, and the deck-hands were instructed in getting the fasts on board. Ben Wilford, who was standing on the wharf, cast off the hawsers, and then jumped aboard, himself. The bells jingled for a few moments, and then the _Woodville_ went off on her course.