Ben Wilford listened in sullen silence to this conversation, and his mother could hardly keep from crying as she thought of the guilt of her oldest son. She was not willing to tell Lawry what his brother had done, fearful that his indignation would produce a quarrel where brotherly love should prevail. She believed that Ben had attempted, while under the influence of liquor, to sink the _Woodville_, and that he would not do such a thing in his sober senses. Neither Lawry nor Mr. Sherwood could explain in what manner the steamer had broken from her moorings and the oil-casks been removed from their fastenings; so they were obliged to drop the matter, congratulating themselves upon the present safety of the boat. "We will go ashore with you, Captain Lawry, when you are ready," said Mr. Sherwood, after the question had been disposed of in this unsatisfactory manner. "Captain Lawry!" sneered Ben. "Certainly; he is the captain of the steamer--isn't he?" laughed Mr. Sherwood. "It sounds big for a boy," growled Ben. "He will make a good captain." Ben turned and walked away, disgusted with the idea. "I'm ready, sir," said Lawry. "Where are you bound next, Captain Lawry?" asked Mr. Sherwood. "I'm going to fish up the anchors we lost, and then to pick up the oil-casks," replied Lawry. "Where do you intend to keep your steamer?" "I hadn't thought of that, sir." "You will need a wharf." "We need one; but I think we shall have to get along without one." "Where would be a good place to have one?" "The deepest water is just below the ferry-landing. We could get depth enough for this boat by running a pier out about forty feet. Ethan and I can build some kind of a wharf, when we have time." Mr. Sherwood said no more about the matter, and Ben landed the visitors in the ferry-boat. The _Woodville_ then ran down to the Goblins, and towed the raft out to the spot where the anchors lay. A boat grapnel was dragged over the spot, the cables hooked, and the anchors hauled up with the derrick on the raft, from which they were transferred to the steamer. Having obtained these necessary appendages of the steamer, they returned to the landing for the ferry-boat, in which they intended to load the oil-casks, and convey them to Pointville. Ben was at the landing when she arrived, and without any invitation, stepped on board the ferry-boat, and thence to the steamer. "Don't you want some help, Lawry?" asked Ben. "Yes; we should be glad of all the help we can get," replied Lawry pleasantly. "Well, I'll help you." "We have a good deal of hard work to do to-day," added the pilot. "I would like to get the boat on the ways at Port Henry to-night." "That can be done easy enough."