"I intended asking you to buy it for me, and allow me to pay for it when I had the money." Barry looked surprised as he said,-- "What do you require such a valuable pearl for? You could do a great deal better with your money." "I wished to send it home as a present to a great friend of mine." "A lady, of course," said Barry smiling. "I see; it would be a very valuable gift, and she ought to think a lot of it, if ever she receives it." "She would," replied Jack, "but more on account of my finding it than for its actual value." "I'll try and get it for you," said Barry, "and if I succeed, you shall have it at a fair price. Ah, here's Silas, I thought he would not be able to wait until my return." Silas Filey walked anxiously about, waiting for Barry Tuxford, and as the time passed, became impatient. "He's staying on board just to aggravate everybody, that's his little game. I want to be first in at this deal. I'll take a boat out to the schooner and risk the chance of being ordered away." As the boat came alongside the "Heron," Barry Tuxford looked over the side and said, with a laugh, "What are you here for Silas? I am afraid we have nothing on board that will suit you." "Will you let me have a look at the pearls?" asked Silas. "It's against the rules, you must wait until we come ashore." "I say, Barry, give me first chance, and I'll offer you a good price, upon my word, I will. I want a string of good pearls badly for a customer who is not particular how much he pays so long as he gets what he wants." "That's the sort of man I like to get hold of," said Barry. "They are difficult to find, but this is a cert, a real cert; let me come on board." "I must ask the skipper," said Barry. "You are the owner, that is sufficient," replied Silas. "Phil Danks is in charge and it is only fair to ask his permission, but I will try and arrange it for you." Barry disappeared, and Silas muttered to himself-- "He's a confounded humbug, he's keeping me here for fun. I wonder what they have on board. He'll drive a hard bargain now he sees I am so eager, but I must have the pearls, it's a big deal if I get what my man wants." When Barry Tuxford returned, he said,-- "If I let you have first pick you must be prepared to give a stiff price, I know the value of pearls as well as you do." "I'll deal fair with you, upon my word, I will," said Silas. "May I come up?" "Yes," replied Barry, "and mind, there's to be no Jew business about this transaction." Silas Filey scrambled up the ladder and climbed over the side of the schooner. Barry introduced him to Jack, who thought the dealer a curious looking man to handle valuable pearls. Jacob Rank and Phil were both known to Silas, who congratulated the former on his return to life. "We thought you'd gone under, Jacob," he said, "but I'm glad such is not the case. You have made a grand discovery, I hear, found pearls by the hundreds, somewhere. You are a clever chap, Jacob, very clever."