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The sharp bow of the dory ran up on the soft sand of the beach, and I stepped ashore, hauling the light boat after me beyond the reach of the waves. The night remained calm and still, although the scudding clouds were thickening overhead, until scarcely a single star remained visible.
The Spray being in the stream, we boarded her from the beach abreast, in the little razeed Gloucester dory, which had been painted a smart green. Our combined weight loaded it gunwale to the water, and I was obliged to steer with great care to avoid swamping. The adventure pleased Mrs. Stevenson greatly, and as we paddled along she sang, "They went to sea in a pea-green boat."
"And if we see fish, Clancy'll stay to the mast-head to-night as good a seine-master as sails out of Gloucester is Tommie better than me," he said. "I'm going in the seine-boat, and Eddie Parsons, you'll take Clancy's place in the dory." And buttoning his oil-jacket up tight, he put on his mitts and went on deck.
"If we show we have confidence in him," replied Adelaide, "I think it will help him." "Very well," said Dory. "Besides, it isn't easy to find people of the sort you'd be willing to have, who can leave home and come here." Adelaide colored as she smiled. "Perhaps that was my reason, rather than helping him," she said. Dory flushed.
"That would give me away and scare off these jail birds mighty quick!" Suddenly the distant tchug-tchug of a gasoline motor boat came to his ears. Raising himself on his elbows, he peered over the stump, out across the glittering blue water, and saw a good-sized dory, manned by a solitary individual who wore light oilskins, coming swiftly toward the hut on the beach.
Neither man nor girl could find anything to say as they walked side by side to the beach, and the former launched the dory tender. As he put off she waved him a cheery good-by, and sent her low voice across the broadening water: "Come back to us soon. And be careful. It is beginning to get rough already."
"That ain't a dory or a skiff," shouted Ben, raising his voice as I pulled away from him. "Way she sets out of water I'd call her a lap-streak dingy. If that feller's takin' his girl out rowin' he'll have to work his passage home against this tide . . . Well, so long, Ros. Come again." I nodded a goodby, and settled down for my long row, a good deal longer this time on account of the ebb.
Without instruction the Aleut now bent to his oars as hard as he could, and hurried to the beach which lay not far beyond. Hurriedly pulling the dory up, he motioned to Rob to get out with his rifle. "There he is again!" called John, pointing. "He's closer in now. Look, he isn't a hundred yards away! You try him, Rob; you're the best shot."
I knew at once the fisherman's stroke, and, supposing that he had put out from the shore and did not mean to stay out long, I gave chase at once, and pulled till he stopped rowing and was apparently near. Then I hailed, and after a twenty minutes' hunt caught a glimpse of his dory and immediately introduced myself.
"Whatever did you do that for?" cried Ellen, turning in the seat to stare at her daughter through her glasses. "I promised Dory I would. I've spent some of the money about fifteen hundred dollars You see, the house was more expensive than I thought. But everything's paid up now." "I don't need it, and don't want it," said Ellen. "And I won't take it!"
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