"Captain John feels bad about the loss of his sail," said Mr. Randall, as the sloop's boat pulled off from the shore. "Yes, he does; but it was his own fault," replied Lawry. "He paid too much attention to his dinner at the time." "That's true; he was very fond of the green-apple pies." "Well, they were good," added the young pilot. "I'm sorry he lost his sail." "It wasn't worth much, though it was a bad time to lose it." "He lost his temper, too. I wanted to land on the other side, but the captain was so cross I didn't like to ask him when we were so close to this shore. Your father is the ferryman, I believe." "Yes, sir." "Will you ask him to take me over?" "He's going right over in the large boat, for there's a team waiting for him," replied Lawry, pointing to a horse and wagon, the owner of which had sounded the horn just as the passengers from the boat landed. "Ask him to be as quick as possible, for I'm in a hurry," added the bank director. "Won't you come into the house, sir?" "No, I will sit down under this tree." Lawry went into the house, where the family were at dinner, the meal having been delayed by the absence of the ferryman on the other side of the lake. The youth was greeted coldly by his father, and very warmly by his mother. "I'm glad you've got home, Lawry, for Mr. Sherwood has been after you three times," said Mrs. Wilford, when the young pilot had been duly welcomed by all the family. "What does he want?" asked Lawry. "His little steamboat is at Port Henry, and he wants you to go up and pilot her down." "The _Woodville?_" "Yes, that's her name, I believe." "Well, I'm all ready to go." "Sit down and eat your dinner. "I've been to dinner." "Mr. Sherwood wanted you to go up in the _Sherman_; but it is too late for her, and he may go in the night boat." "I'm ready when he is. Father, there is a gentleman outside who wants to go over the lake; and there is a team waiting in the road," continued Lawry. "They must wait till I've done my dinner," replied the ferryman. "Who is the gentleman?" "Mr. Randall; he is a director in a bank, and has six thousand dollars with him." "I suppose so; every man but me has six thousand dollars in his pocket. Where's he going to?" "To Shoreham, and he wants to get there by five o'clock, if he can." "What's he traveling with so much money for?" "I don't know. It is in his coat pocket, and it would have gone overboard if it hadn't been for me." The ferryman finished his dinner in moody silence. He seemed to be thinking of the subject always uppermost in his mind, his thoughts stimulated, no doubt, by the fact that his expected passenger carried a large sum of money on his person. "Mr. Randall is in a hurry, father," interposed Lawry, when the ferryman had sat a good half-hour after his son's arrival.