If we don't have to go to
court you may pay me a hundred dollars. If we do, we'll make another
arrangement later. That satisfactory?"
"Yes, indeed," answered Steve heartily, and the rest murmured agreement.
"How long will it take to find out, sir?"
"I'll have the owner's name in half an hour. Then I'll send them a wire.
You drop in tomorrow at this time and I dare say I'll have something to
tell you. I'll have a look at the boat this afternoon and get an idea of
her value as a bottom. Then we'll get someone to give an estimate on her
cargo. Would you be willing to pay ten dollars for an appraisement?"
"Yes, sir, if that's advisable."
"Well, I think it is. We'd better know what we've got, eh? All right,
gentlemen. You leave it to me. Where are you stopping?"
"We're staying aboard our boats, sir, the _Adventurer_ and the _Follow
Me_."
"I want to know! Regular mariners, ain't ye? Well! Well! Guess you're
having a fine time, too, eh?"
"Yes, sir, we've had a pretty good time. About--about how much do you
think we ought to get for the boat, Mr. Hyatt?"
"Including cargo? Well, now, I don't know, Mister--What did you say your
name is?"
"Stephen Chapman."
"Mr. Stephen Chapman, eh?" The lawyer wrote it on a scrap of paper and
thrust it carelessly into a pigeon-hole of the old walnut desk.
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