on the reef, a visible pledge
of value, it did seem that Captain Candage must be able to find somebody
who would back them.

For two days Mayo waited with much impatience, he and his men doing such
preliminary work as offered itself.

He expected that Fogg would send a relief expedition, but his
apprehensions bore no fruit. His prisoner was sourly reticent and by the
few words he did drop seemed to console himself with the certainty that
retribution awaited Mayo.

On the third day came the schooner. She came listlessly, under a
light wind, and her limp sails seemed to express discouragement and
disappointment. Mayo, gazing across to her as she approached, received
that impression, in spite of his hopes. He got a glimpse of Captain
Candage's face as he came to the steamer's side in his dory, and his
fears were confirmed.

"'Tain't no use," was the skipper's laconic report as he swung up the
ladder.

"You mean to say you didn't get a rise out of anybody?"

"Nothing doing nowhere. There's a fat man named Fogg in Limeport, and he
is spreading talk that we 'ain't got law or prospects. Got a few men to
listen to me, but they shooed me off when they found that we wouldn't
take 'em in and give 'em all the profits. Went to Maquoit and tried to
get Deacon Rowley into the thing--and when I go and beg favors of Deacon
Rowley, you can imagine how desperate I am. He's a cash-down fellow--you
have found that out."

"But couldn't you show him that this is the best gamble on the coast?"

"He ain't a gambler; he's a sure-thing operator. And when he knew that
we had put in all our cash, he threatened to take the schooner away from
us unless we go back to fishing and 'be sensible'--that's the way he put
it. So then him and me had that postponed row."

"But look at her," pleaded Mayo, waving his hand, "Ice off her, sound in
all her rivets after her beating. If we could get the right men out here
now--"

"I ain't confident, myself, no more," stated Captain Candage, running
an eye of disfavor over their property. "If ye get out here away from
level-headed business men and dream about what might happen, you can
fool yourself. I can see how it is with you. But I've been ashore, and
I've got it put to me good and plenty. I did think of one way of getting
some money, but I come to my senses and give it up."

"Getting money--how?"

"No matter. I'd cut off both hands before I'd let them hands take that
money for a desp'rit thing lik