t' pay for twenty
years o' life when I can use but a few. God knows how many!"

"I got you where I wants you," says Tom, "but I isn't got the heart t'
grind you. Will you pay two thousand dollars for my seat in the
boat?"

"If you is fool enough t' take it, Tom."

"There's something t' boot," says Tom. "I wants t' die out o' debt."

"You does, Tom."

"An' my father's bill is squared?"

"Ay."

"'Tis a bargain!" says Tom. "God witness!"

"Lads," says Pinch-a-Penny to the others in the rodney, "I calls you
t' witness that I didn't ask Tom Lane for his seat in the boat. I
isn't no coward. I've asked no man t' give up his life for me. This
here bargain is a straight business deal. Business is business. 'Tis
not my proposition. An' I calls you t' witness that I'm willin' t' pay
what he asks. He've something for sale. I wants it. I've the money t'
buy it. The price is his. I'll pay it." Then he turned to Tom. "You
wants this money paid t' your wife, Tom?"

"Ay," says Tom, "t' Mary. She'll know why."

"Very good," says Pinch-a-Penny. "You've my word that I'll do it....
Wind's jumpin' up, Tom."

"I wants your oath. The wind will bide for that. Hold up your right
hand."

Pinch-a-Penny shivered in a blast of the gale. "I swears," says he.

"Lads," says Tom, "you'll shame this man to his grave if he fails t'
pay!"

"Gettin' dark, Tom," says Peter.

"Ay," says Tom; "'tis growin' wonderful cold an' dark out here. I
knows it well. Put me ashore on the ice, lads."

They landed Tom, then, on a near-by pan. He would have it so.

"Leave me have my way!" says he. "I've done a good stroke o'
business."

Presently they took old Pinch-a-Penny aboard in Tom's stead; and just
for a minute they hung off Tom's pan to say good-by.

"I sends my love t' Mary an' the children," says he. "You'll not fail
t' remember. She'll know why I done this thing. Tell her 'twas a grand
chance an' I took it."

"Ay, Tom."

"Fetch in here close," says Tom. "I want's t' talk t' the ol'
skinflint you got aboard there. I'll have my say, ecod, at last! Ye
crab!" says he, shaking his fist in Pinch-a-Penny's face, when the
rodney got alongside. "Ye robber! Ye pinch-a-penny! Ye liar! Ye thief!
I done ye! Hear me? I done ye! I vowed I'd even scores with ye afore I
died. An' I've done it--I've done it! What did ye buy? Twenty years o'
my life! What will ye pay for? Twenty years o' my life!" And he
laughed. And then he cut a caper, and come close