“It stands to reason that the captain of the _Amazonia_ did not know anything about the lad’s people, otherwise he or his wife must have said something that Benny would have overheard,” Keeper Downey began, by way of opening what all tacitly understood was a meeting of the “board of guardians.” “It may be that when the story of the wreck is told in the newspapers, as will be done by to-morrow, some one comes forward to claim the lad, though I doubt it. Now there is nothing in the Service as provides for such as he, except so far as giving food and shelter to the shipwrecked until they can be removed to other quarters.” “And I allow it wouldn’t be according to regulations for us to keep him here?” Joe Cushing said interrogatively, and Keeper Downey replied emphatically: “Not unless we have permission from headquarters. But whether that can be gained or not goes beyond me.” “Suppose we don’t keep him? Allow that we send him away?” Henry Robbins asked. “Where could a boy like him be put?” “There’s no other place but the poorhouse, if it so be he hasn’t any relatives.” “He sha’n’t go there, if I have to pay for his keeping out of my own pocket,” Sam Hardy said decidedly, whereat the other members of the crew applauded, taking care to make but little noise lest the sleeper in the chamber above should be awakened. Then Keeper Downey continued, much as if some motion had been put, seconded, and carried: “Since we are all agreed that Benny and Fluff are on our hands until a better home can be found for ’em, the question comes as to how we’ll divide the expense.” “Let the cost be put equally among the crew,” Joe Cushing suggested. “It can’t take such a terrible amount of money to keep this little shaver and his toy dog.” “We’ll let every man contribute according to his wages,” Keeper Downey said, in the tone of one who has finally settled the question. “That will be the fairest way, and, as Joe says, we never shall miss it in the long run. It’s where we can keep him that is going to be the hardest thing to settle on.” “If we pay his bills and he don’t cost the Government a cent, what’s to prevent having him with us all the time?” Dick Sawyer asked. “I’ll guarantee that if we fix up a letter to the General Superintendent of the Life-Saving Service, giving the particulars, and explaining that the boy can help us a good bit in the way of washing dishes, trimming lanterns, and that sort of work, there won’t be a question raised as to his sharing a bed with one of us. I’ll take him in with me, when it comes to that.” “But would it be right to keep the lad out here?”--and it was as if Tom Downey asked the question of himself. “According to his own story, he hasn’t had over much schooling, and nowadays a boy who ain’t considerable of a scholar cuts a pretty poor figure.”