Billy Topsail & Company: A Story for Boys

  CHAPTER XXVII

  _In Which the Amazing Operations of the "Black Eagle" Promise to Ruin the Firm of Topsail, Armstrong, Grimm & Company, and Archie Armstrong Loses His Temper and Makes a Fool of Himself_

  Trade was brisk next day--and continued brisk for a fortnight. FromCoachman's Cove to Seal Cove, from Seal Cove to Black Arm, from BlackArm to Harbour Round and Little Harbour Deep went the _Spot Cash_. Sheentered with gay signal flags and a multitude of little Union Jacksflying; and no sooner was the anchor down than the phonograph beganits musical invitation to draw near and look and buy. And there waspresently candy for the children; and there were undeniable bargainsfor the mothers. In the evening--under a quiet starlit sky--SkipperBill "tussled" gloriously with "The Lost Pirate," and Bobby Northshook the hornpipe out of his very toes, and Bill Topsail wistfullypiped the well-loved old ballads of the coast in a tender treble; andafter that Senor Fakerino created no end of mystification and applauseby extracting half-dollars from the vacant air, and discovering threesmall chicks in an empty top-hat, and producing eggs at will fromBagg's capacious mouth, and with a mere wave of his wand changing theblackest of ink into the very most delicious of lemonade. The folk ofthat remote coast were delighted. They had never been amused before;and they craved amusement--like little children.

  SENOR FAKERINO CREATED APPLAUSE BY EXTRACTING HALF DOLLARSFROM VACANCY.]

  Trade followed as a matter of course.

  * * * * *

  Trade was brisk as any heart could wish up the White Bay coast to thefirst harbours of the northern reaches of the French Shore; and thereit came to an appalling full stop. The concerts were patronized asbefore; but no fish came aboard for exchange.

  "I can't bear to look the calendar in the face," Archie complained.

  The _Spot Cash_ then lay at anchor in Englee.

  "'Tis the fifth o' August," said Billy Topsail.

  "Whew!" Archie whistled. "Sixteen days to the first of September!"

  "What's the matter, anyhow?" Skipper Bill inquired.

  "The _Black Eagle's_ the matter," said Archie, angrily. "She's sweptthese harbours clean. She cleaned out Englee yesterday."

  "Stand by, all hands!" roared the skipper.

  "What's up, skipper?" asked Archie.

  "Nothin'," replied the skipper; "that's the trouble. But the mains'l_will_ be up afore very long if there's a rope's end handy," he added."We'll chase the _Black Eagle_."

  They caught the _Black Eagle_ at anchor in Conch that evening. She wasdeep in the water. Apparently her hold was full; there were the firstsigns of a deck-load of fish to be observed. In a run ashore Archievery soon discovered the reason of her extraordinary success. Hereturned to the deck of the _Spot Cash_ in a towering rage. The clerkof the _Black Eagle_ had put up the price of fish and cut the price ofevery pound and yard of merchandise aboard his vessel. No wonder shehad loaded. No wonder the folk of the French Shore had emptied theirstages of the summer's catch. And what was the _Spot Cash_ to do?Where was she to get _her_ fish? By selling at less than cost andbuying at more than the market price? Nothing of the sort! Topsail,Armstrong, Grimm & Company were not going to be ruined by that sort offolly. Topsail, Armstrong, Grimm & Company couldn't _have_ any fish.The powerful firm of Armstrong & Company of St. John's was going toput the poor little firm of Topsail, Armstrong, Grimm & Company out ofbusiness--going to snuff 'em out--_had_ snuffed 'em out. The bestthing Topsail, Armstrong, Grimm & Company could do was to get to coverand call cash trading as big a failure as had ever been made inNewfoundland business.

  "Isn't fair!" Archie complained, aboard the _Spot Cash_. "It's dirtybusiness, I tell you."

  "Let's fire away, anyhow," said Jimmie Grimm.

  "It isn't fair of dad," Archie repeated, coming as near to the pointof tears as a boy of his age well could. "It's a low trick to cut asmall trader's throat like this. They can outsail us and keep ahead ofus; and they'll undersell and overbuy us wherever we go. When they'veput us out of business, they'll go back to the old prices. It isn'tfair of dad," he burst out. "I tell you, it isn't fair!"

  "Lend a hand here," said Bill. "We'll see what they do."

  A pretense of hauling up the mainsail was made aboard the _SpotCash_. There was an immediate stir on the deck of the _Black Eagle_;the hands were called from the forecastle.

  "Look at that!" said Archie, in disgust.

  Both crews laughed and gave it up.

  "It isn't _like_ your dad," said Bill o' Burnt Bay. "I'll lay youalongside the _Black Eagle_, Archie," he added, "an' you can have alittle yarn with Skipper George."

  * * * * *

  Skipper George Rumm was glad to see Archie--glad in a too bland way,in which, however, Archie did not detect a very obvious nervousness.Three eighty-five for fish? Yes; the skipper _did_ believe that TommyBull was paying three eighty-five. No; he didn't know the market pricein St. John's. Flour and pork and sugar and tea? No; the skipperdidn't know just what Tommy Bull was selling flour and pork and sugarand tea at. You see, Tommy Bull was clerk of the _Black Eagle_; andthat was the clerk's business. Tommy Bull was ashore just then; theskipper didn't just quite know when he'd come aboard. Were theseprices Sir Archibald's orders? Really, Skipper George didn't know.Tommy Bull knew all about that; and Tommy Bull had clerked in thesewaters long enough to keep the firm's business to himself. Tommy Bullwas closemouthed; he wouldn't be likely to blab Sir Archibald's ordersin every harbour of the coast or whisper them in the ear of a rivaltrading clerk.

  This last thrust was too much for Archie's dignity. He leaped from thedeck of the _Black Eagle_ into his own punt in a greater rage thanever.

  "There's t' be a spell o' rough weather," were Skipper George's lastwords.

  The punt moved away.

  "Skipper Bill," said Archie, "the nearest telegraph station is at TiltCove. Can we make it in a night?"

  "If the wind holds," the skipper answered.

  "Then we'll try," said Archie.

  The predicament was explained to Donald North and Jimmie Grimm andBilly Topsail. The _Spot Cash_ could have no more fish as long as the_Black Eagle_ paid three eighty-five with the St. John's market atthree thirty-five. But _was_ the market at three thirty-five? Hadn'tthe _Black Eagle_ later information? That must be found out; and fromTilt Cove it could be discovered in two hours. So up went the sails ofthe _Spot Cash_, and, with the _Black Eagle_ following, she jockeyedout of the harbour. Presently, when she had laid a course for CapeJohn and Tilt Cove, the _Black Eagle_ came about and beat back toConch.

  * * * * *

  Next morning--and dirty weather was promised for the day--the _SpotCash_ dropped anchor in the shelter of the cliff at Tilt Cove andBilly Topsail pulled Archie ashore. It was in Archie's heart to accusehis father's firm of harsh dealing with a small competitor; but heresolved to do no more than ask the price of fish. The answer would besignificant of all that the lad wished to know; and if the great firmof Armstrong & Company had determined to put obstacles in the way ofTopsail, Armstrong, Grimm & Company, even to the point of ruin, therewas no help for Topsail, Armstrong, Grimm & Company. Archie would askno quarter.

  "Make haste!" Skipper Bill called from the deck of the _Spot Cash_."I've no love for this harbour in a gale o' wind."

  It was poor shelter at best.

  "Much as I can," Archie shouted back.

  The boy sent this telegram:

  Tilt Cove, August 6.

  Armstrong & Company, St. John's. Price of fish.

  Topsail, Armstrong, Grimm & Company.

  There was now nothing to do but wait. Sir Archibald would be in hislittle office overlooking his wharves and shipping. It would not belong. And the reply presently came:

  St. John's, August 6.

  Topsail, Armstrong, Grimm & Company, Aboard "Spot Cash,"
Tilt Cove. Still three thirty-five. No rise probable.

  Armstrong & Company.

  Archie Armstrong was hurt. He could hardly conceive that his fatherhad planned the ruin of his undertaking and the loss of his honour.But what was left to think? Would the skipper and clerk of the _BlackEagle_ deliberately court discharge? And discharge it wouldbe--discharge in disgrace. There was no possible excuse for thisamazing change in prices. No; there was no explanation but that theywere proceeding upon Sir Archibald's orders. It was inconceivablethat they should be doing anything else. Archie would ask no quarterof his father; but he would at least let Sir Archibald know that hewas aware of the difference between fair and unfair competition.Before he boarded the _Spot Cash_ he dispatched this message:

  Tilt Cove, August 6.

  Armstrong & Company, St. John's. Tilt Cove.

  "Black Eagle" paying three eighty-five. Underselling flour, pork, tea, sugar. Why don't you play fair?

  Topsail, Armstrong, Grimm & Company.

  If Archie Armstrong could have been in the little office whichoverlooked the wharves to observe the effect of that message upon SirArchibald he would not only have been amazed but would have come tohis senses in a good deal less time than he actually did. The firstitem astounded and bewildered Sir Archibald; the second--the briefexpression of distrust--hurt him sorely. But he had no time to besentimental. Three eighty-five for fish? What was the meaning of that?Cut prices on flour, pork, sugar and tea? What was the meaning of_that_? Sir Archibald saw in a flash what it meant to Topsail,Armstrong, Grimm & Company. But what did it mean to Armstrong &Company? Sir Archibald flushed and perspired with wrath. He pushedbuttons--he roared orders--he scribbled telegrams. In ten minutes, sovociferous was his rage, so intense his purpose, it was known from oneend of the establishment to the other that the _Black Eagle_ must becommunicated with at once.

  But Armstrong & Company could not manage to communicate with the_Black Eagle_ direct, it seemed. Armstrong & Company might, however,communicate with the _Spot Cash_, now at Tilt Cove and possibly boundnorth. Doubtless by favour of the clerk of the _Spot Cash_ Armstrong &Company would be able to speak orders in the ear of Skipper GeorgeRumm.

  "Judd!" Sir Archibald roared.

  The pale little clerk appeared on the bound.

  "Rush this," said Sir Archibald.

  The message read:

  St. John's, August 6.

  Archibald Armstrong II, On board "Spot Cash," Tilt Cove.

  Please oblige order "Black Eagle" St. John's forthwith. This your authority.

  Armstrong & Company.