"Boston! You were no more on the road to Boston where you were due, than you were to the moon," said the gentleman sharply. "You knew better--both you and René. Go back to the dock and wait till I return tonight. I'll have something to say to you then." He turned his back on the dark complexioned man, whose brow was more deeply corrugated than usual. The latter's angry gaze was fixed upon Carolyn and it seemed to threaten the unconscious child. Had she observed this malevolent glance the little girl might have recalled the dream she had had regarding this man and the chauffeur the night the Truefelt House caught fire. CHAPTER XXV ALMOST Barzilla Ball was, like most single-minded people, thoroughly confident that the project he had evolved regarding the swordfishing industry had no flaw in it. And perhaps it was perfect. As Joe Bassett pointed out, Barzilla made his sole mistake in determining that he, Bassett, was turned up by the plough of Good Luck particularly to be the partner Barzilla was looking for. "You don't have to repeat your patter in relation to the swordfishing game to me. I believe it all," Bassett said, as they landed after mooring the _Snatch It_ at her buoy. "And if I had the money I would strike hands with you on the spot." "That's what I want to hear you say, Mr. Bassett," declared the swordfisher. "But what good does it do you--or me? That 'if' is in the way. You need a partner with at least two thousand dollars. Where would I get such a sum?" "I don't know, Mr. Bassett. But I feel that you could get it if you would only believe you could." "Great Scott! You talk like Carolyn's father. He was for ever telling me while I was on the _Beacon_ that I had no self-confidence. But I can't go up to a man and knock him down and take his purse away from him," and he laughed rather bitterly. "I dunno," drawled Barzilla, "but even that would be less of a sin than lettin' opportunity slip right by you without a-grabbing of his fetlock." "Forelock you mean, Barzilla." "Fetlock, _or_ forelock--it amounts to the same. Gettin' a strangle hold on opportunity is the meanin'. And that's what you ought to be doin' of right now." "How?" "You've got slathers of friends. You went to college with a bunch of men who have plenty of money. You can borrow on your bare word more than I could scrape together by givin' my note to ev'ry man on the island." "The responsibility would be more than I could bear, Barzilla," Joe Bassett answered quietly. "I have been neck deep in debt. I still owe some money. Believe me, I would starve--and so would my wife--rather than be borne down by the weight of debt again." "But this is a dead-open-an'-shut business proposition." "May be. I believe it is. But who could I go to who is within reach to ask for money? On this island, for instance?" "How 'bout Ben Truefelt?" "Ben's got his hands full after that fire in his hotel."