So saying he was off, without waiting for Bar’s reply, for his disappointment with reference to that boat had been the severest blow Zeb had received for many a day. Besides, he was really anxious to return the miller’s money with as little delay as might be. “Puff,” said Bar, as he walked up to that worthy, “where’s the boat?” “Down t’ the lake. Right by my house,” replied Puff, vacantly. “She’s a beauty, but all the money I had in the world was ten dollars. Skinner’s as mean as pusley, but I don’t know as I blame you. Going to bring her over to town and put her in Todderley’s pond?” “Not so bad as that,” said Bar. “Do you suppose you know enough to take good care of her?” “Why,” said Puff, “I built her myself, and she’s just the neatest little thing. Mast and sail, too. Runs as if she was greased.” “Well,” said Bar, “what’ll you charge me to keep her for me? You to use her all the time, same as if you owned her, and I to have her once in awhile to go fishing in.” “Charge?” exclaimed Puff, opening his eyes. “Charge? You git eout.” “Well, then,” said Bar, “you go back home and look sharp after that boat. One of these days I’ll come over and take a look at her.” “I say, mister!” exclaimed Puff, as the advantages of Bar’s proposition slowly dawned on him, “won’t ye come in and take suthin’?” “Not a drop,” said Bar; “nor you won’t, either. That’s the way you lost your boat.” “Fact, mister,” said Puff, “but I tell ye what. I’d like to have a sheer in that boat. Won’t ye let me?” “Of course,” said Bar, “if you’ll keep dark about it. If lawyer Skinner knew it he’d be after it again.” “Say ten dollars’ wuth, then,” said Puff. “’Pears like I couldn’t ketch no fish in another man’s boat.” “All right,” said Bar. “Call it ten dollars’ worth, if that’ll do you any good.” “Wall, then,” said Puff, drawing himself up straighter than he had done before during that day, “there’s the money, cash down.” “Oh, never mind that,” said Bar; “pay when you get ready.” “No, ye don’t,” said Puff. “Take that, or I shan’t feel honest. There’s somethin’ comin’ to me from the sale over’n above the jedgment. I shan’t go home empty. I ain’t sure but what it’s a pooty good job for me, anyhow, and old Skinner’s beat, too; I’m right down glad o’ that.” Bar consented to take the money, and he and Val returned to Mrs. Wood’s, congratulating themselves on the splendid beginning they had made for their fun at Ogleport. “We can fish pretty much all the time till school opens,” said Val, “and then there’s evenings and Saturdays after that.” “We won’t want to fish all our spare time,” said Bar. “There must be piles and piles of things to make fun out of around such a place as this is.” “So there are,” said Val, “but we mustn’t be careless of our money. I’m glad we’ve beaten that rascally lawyer as cheaply as we have. I mean to write my father all about it.” “He’d have done it himself, I know,” said Bar. There could be small doubt of that. CHAPTER XV