"If Ethan does a man's work, you must pay him a man's wages. I suppose he wants to make his fortune." "What do you think he ought to have?" asked Lawry. "Three dollars a day," replied Mr. Sherwood promptly. "I dare say Ethan would not charge you half so much; but that is about the wages of a man for running an engine in these times." "I am satisfied, if that is fair wages; though it is a great deal more than I ever made." "Engineers get high wages. Then you want a fireman." "I can get a boy, who will answer very well for a fireman." "I think not, Lawry. You need a man of experience and judgment. He can save his wages for you in coal. The man whom I employed as a fireman is just the person, and he is at the village now." "What must I pay him, sir?" "Two dollars a day. Then your parties will want some dinner on board, and you will need a cook, and two stewards. A woman to do the cooking, and two girls to tend the table, will answer your purpose. You can obtain the three for about seven dollars a week; but your passengers must pay extra for their meals, and you need not charge the expenses of the steward's department to the boat." "If you expect to succeed, Lawry, you must do your work well. Your boat must be safe and comfortable, and your dinners nice and well served. You will want two deck-hands. Your expenses, including coal, oil for machinery, and hands, will be about twenty dollars a day. If you add repairs, of which steamboats are continually in need, you will run it up to twenty-five dollars a day." "That will leave me a profit of twenty-five dollars a day," added Lawry, delighted at the thought. "If you are employed every day, it will; but you cannot expect to do anything with parties for more than two months in the year." "I can get some towing to do; and I may make something with passengers." "Parties will pay best in July and August, and perhaps part of September; but you must be wide-awake." "I intend to be." "I advise you to get up a handbill of your steamer, announcing that she is to be let to parties by the day, at all the large ports on the lake. There are plenty of wealthy people, spending the summer in this vicinity, who would be glad to engage her, even for a week at once." "Will you write me a handbill, Mr. Sherwood?" "Yes, and get it printed." "Thank you, sir." "The _Woodville_ is engaged to me for to-morrow," added Mr. Sherwood. CHAPTER XV THE NEW CAPTAIN Lawry was bewildered by the magnificence of the arrangements suggested by Mr. Sherwood; but if the _Woodville_ was to be employed in taking out parties of genteel people, nothing less magnificent would answer the purpose. His influential friend, it appeared, had already exerted himself to procure employment of this kind for the steamer, and the proprietor of the beautiful craft was not only willing to conform to his ideas, but was grateful for the kindly interest he manifested in the prosperity of the enterprise.