Haste and Waste; Or, the Young Pilot of Lake Champlain. A Story for Young People by - (books to read fiction .txt) 📖

Woodville now plowed the lake at full speed. Her happy owner realized that she was good for ten miles an hour, which, for so diminutive a craft, was more than he had a right to expect.

"Hello!" shouted Lawry to himself, as the steamer approached the ferry-landing; "what's that?"

In the deep water which the young pilot had indicated as the best place for a wharf, a pier was in process of erection. A score of bridge-builders were sawing, hammering, and chopping, and Mr. Sherwood stood in their midst, watching their operations. The structure was not complete, but the mooring posts were set up, so that the Woodville could be made fast to them. Mr. Sherwood and the workmen gave three cheers as the steamer approached.

"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 passengers 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 passengers."

"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 passengers 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.

"This is all very fine," said Ben.

"First-rate," laughed Lawry.

"What am I to do?" demanded Ben, rather gruffly.

"You?" said the pilot.

"Everybody seems to have something to do with her except me."

"What do you want to do?"

"I suppose you think I'm not fit for anything."

"I had an idea that you would stay at home, and run the ferry-boat."

"Did you?" sneered Ben.

"Some one must do that; and of course I can't now."

"Hang the ferry-boat!"

"It must be run, or we shall forfeit the privilege."

"I shall not run it, whatever happens."

"I don't see how I can."

"Lawry, I don't think you are using me right," added Ben sourly.

"Why, what have I done?"

"You've got this boat, and though you know I'm a steamboat man, you don't say a word to me about taking any position on board of her."

"I don't know what position there is on board for you, unless you take a deck-hand's place."

"A deck-hand!"

"That is what you have always been."

"Do you think I'm going to be bossed by you?"

"Ben, if you will tell me just what you want, I shall understand you better," said Lawry, rather impatiently.

"You know what I want. There is only one place in the boat I would be willing to take."

"You mean captain."

"Of course I do."

"I intended to be captain myself."

"I thought you were going to be pilot of her."

"So I am; and captain, too."

"Then you mean to leave me out entirely."

"Ben, I don't want to have any row; and I won't quarrel with my brother; but I don't think it is quite fair for you to ask so much of me."

"Don't I know all about a steamboat?"

"Can you pilot one up and down the lake?"

"Well, no; I never did that kind of work."

"Can you run an engine?"

"No; and you can't, either. The captain doesn't have to be a pilot, nor an engineer."

"What must he do, then?"

"He must look out for everything, make the landing, and see that the people on board are comfortable."

"I intend to do all that."

"How can you do it, and stay in the wheel-house?"

"I shall not stay there all the time. The deck-hands know how to steer. I want to do what's fair and right, Ben. The steamer was given to me; and I don't exactly like to have any one to boss me on board."

"The captain don't have much to do with the pilot, and I sha'n't boss you."

"Suppose the question should come up, whether or not the boat should take a certain job; who would decide the question—you or I?"

"I'm the oldest, and I think I ought to have the biggest voice in the matter."

"But the boat is mine," added Lawry, with emphasis.

"As to that, she is just as much mine as she is yours."

"I'm willing to do what's fair and right; but I shall not have any captain over me in this boat," replied Lawry.

"Lawry, you are my brother," said Ben angrily; "but I don't care for that. You set yourself up above me; you make me a nobody. I won't stand it!"

"I don't set myself up above you, Ben."

"Yes, you do. You offered me the place of deck-hand!"

"I didn't ask you to take any place. I'll tell you what I will do, Ben. I'll talk with mother and Mr. Sherwood about the matter, and if they think you ought to be captain of the Woodville, you shall be."

"Mr. Sherwood don't know everything."

"I think he would know what is right in a case like this."

"He thinks you are a little god, and I know what he would say."

"I will do as mother says, then."

"What do women know about these things?"

"I don't think Mr. Sherwood or mother would like it if I should give up the command of this boat to any one."

"Let them lump it, then," replied Ben, as he rushed out of the wheel-house, incensed beyond measure at Lawry's opposition to his unreasonable proposal.

Captain Lawry was sorely disturbed by the conduct of his brother. He could not enjoy his pleasant position at the wheel, and he put the steamer about, heading her toward Port Rock.

"Lawry," said Ben, returning to the wheel-house, "I want you to tell me what you are going to do. I'm older than you, and I have seen more steamboating than you have. I think it's my right to be captain of this boat."

"I don't think so."

"I don't want to jaw any more about it."

"I'm sure I don't."

"All I've got to say is, that if I don't run this boat no one will."

"What do you mean by that, Ben?" demanded Lawry.

"No matter what I mean. I'm going to have what belongs to me. Once for all, am I to be captain, or not?"

"No," replied Lawry firmly.

Ben went out of the wheel-house, and the pilot did not see him again till after the Woodville reached her wharf. Lawry was sadly grieved at the attitude of his brother; and if Ben had been a reliable person, fit for the position he aspired to obtain, he would have yielded the point. But the would-be captain was an intemperate and dissolute fellow, as unsuitable for the command as he would have been for the presidency of a bank.

Early on the following morning the supplies for the Woodville were taken on board, and at eight o'clock everything was in readiness for the reception of Mr. Sherwood's party. The steam was merrily hissing from the escape-pipe; Ethan was busy, as he always was, in rubbing down the polished parts of the engine, and Lawry was walking up and down the forward deck. Quite