CHAPTER X
ROBERT COMPLETES THE RAFT
"What do you want of me?" asked George superciliously.
"Will you come to shore and take me into your boat?" asked Roberteagerly.
"Why should I? You have no claims on me," said George. "Indeed, I don'tknow you."
"I was at Mr. Irving's this morning, playing croquet with Herbert."
"I am aware of that, but that is no reason why I should take you into myboat. I prefer to be alone."
If Robert had not been in such a strait he would not have pressed therequest, but he was not sure when there would be another chance to leavethe island, and he persisted.
"You don't understand how I am situated," he said. "I wouldn't ask sucha favor if I were not obliged to, but I have no other way of gettingback. If you don't take me in, I shall probably be obliged to stay hereall night."
"How did you come here?" asked George, his curiosity aroused.
"I came in a boat with my uncle."
"Then you can go back with him."
"He has gone back already. He is offended with me because I won't dosomething which he has no right to ask, and he has left me herepurposely."
"Isn't your uncle a fisherman?"
"Yes."
"I don't care to associate with a fisherman's boy," said George.
Robert had never before met a boy so disagreeable as George, and hisface flushed with anger and mortified pride.
"I don't think you are any better than Herbert," he said, "and he iswilling to associate with me, though I am a fisherman's boy."
"I don't think much of his taste, and so I told him," said George. "Myfather is richer than Mr. Irving," he added proudly.
"Do you refuse to take me in your boat then?" asked Robert.
"I certainly do."
"Although I may be compelled to stay here all night?"
"That's nothing to me."
Robert was silent a moment. He didn't like to have any quarrel withHerbert's cousin, but he was a boy of spirit, and he could not letGeorge leave without giving vent to his feeling.
"George Randolph," he broke out, "I don't care whether your father isworth a million; it doesn't make you a gentleman. You are a mean,contemptible fellow!"
"How dare you talk to me in that way, you young fisherman?" gaspedGeorge in astonishment and wrath.
"Because I think it will do you good to hear the truth," said Roberthotly. "You are the meanest fellow I ever met, and if I were HerbertIrving I'd pack you back to the city by the first train."
"You impudent rascal!" exclaimed George. "I've a good mind to come onshore and give you a flogging!"
"I wish you'd try it," said Robert significantly. "You might findyourself no match for a fisherman's boy."
"I suppose you'd like to get me on shore so that you might run off withmy boat?" sneered George.
"I wouldn't leave you on the island, at any rate, if I did secure theboat," said Robert.
"Well, I won't gratify you," returned George, "I don't care to have myboat soiled by such a passenger."
"You'll get paid for your meanness some time, George Randolph."
"I've taken too much notice of you already, you low fisherman," saidGeorge. "I hope you'll have a good time staying here all night."
He began to row away, and as his boat receded Robert saw departing withit the best chance he had yet had of escape from his irksome captivity.
"I didn't suppose any boy could be so contemptibly mean," he reflectedas his glance followed the boat, which gradually grew smaller andsmaller as it drew near the mainland. "I don't think I'm fond ofquarreling, but I wish I could get hold of that boy for five minutes."
Robert's indignation was natural, but it was ineffective. He mightbreathe out threats, but while he was a prisoner his aristocratic foewas riding quickly over the waves.
"He rows well," thought our hero, willing to do George justice in thatrespect. "I didn't think a city boy could row so well. I don't believe Icould row any better myself, though I've been used to a boat ever sinceI was six years old."
But it would not do to spend all the afternoon in watching George andhis boat or he would lose all chance of getting away himself beforenightfall.
With a sigh he resumed work on the raft which he had hoped he couldafford to dispense with and finally got it so far completed that hethought he might trust himself on it.
Robert was a little solicitous about the strength of his raft. It mustbe admitted that, though he had done the best he could, it was rather arickety concern. If the nails had been all whole and new and he had hada good hammer and strong boards he could easily have made a satisfactoryraft.
But the materials at his command were by no means of the best. The nailswere nearly all rusty, some were snapped off in the middle and his stonedid not work with the precision of a regular hammer.
"If it will only hold together till I can get to shore," he thought, "Iwon't care if it goes to pieces the next minute. It seems a littleshaky, though. I must try to find a few more nails. It may increase thestrength of it."
There was an end of a beam projecting from the sand, just at his feet.
Robert expected that probably he might by unearthing it find somewhereabout it a few nails, and he accordingly commenced operations.
If he had had a shovel or a spade, he could have worked to betteradvantage, but as it was he was forced to content himself with a largeshell which he picked up near the shore.
Soon he had excavated a considerable amount of sand and brought to thesurface a considerable part of the buried beam. It was at this pointthat he felt the shell strike something hard.
"I suppose it is a stone," thought Robert.
And he continued his work with the object of getting it out of the way.It was not long before the object was exposed to view.
What was Robert's surprise and excitement to find it an ivoryportemonnaie, very much soiled and discolored by sea water!
Now, I suppose no one can find a purse or pocketbook without feeling hispulse a little quickened, especially where, as in Robert's case, moneyis so much needed.
He immediately opened the portemonnaie, and to his great delight foundthat it contained several gold pieces.
As my readers will feel curious to know the extent of his good luck, Iwill state definitely the amount of his discovery. There were two goldten-dollar pieces, two of five, one two-dollar-and-a-half piece andfifty cents in silver. In all there were thirty-three dollars in goldand silver.
Robert's delight may be imagined. If he had felt in luck the day before,when he had been paid two dollars, how much more was he elated by a sumwhich to him seemed almost a fortune!
"I am glad George didn't take me on board his boat," he reflected. "Ifhe had, I should never have found this money. Now, I don't care if I dostay here all night. Uncle had little idea what service he was doing mewhen he left me alone on Egg Island."
Though Robert expressed his willingness to spend the night on EggIsland, he soon became eager to get home so that he could exhibit to hisaunt the evidence of his extraordinary luck.
He anticipated the joy of the poor woman as she saw assured to her forweeks to come a degree of comfort to which for a long time she had beenunaccustomed.
Robert examined his raft once more and resolved to proceed to make itready for service. It took longer than he anticipated, and it was nearlytwo hours later before he ventured to launch it. He used a board for apaddle, and on his frail craft he embarked, with a bold heart, for themainland.