sed through the
library, and the captain wanted to see him.

The Sea Foam, with snowy sails just from the loft, and glittering in her
freshly-laid coat of white paint, ran up to a wharf just below the boat
shop. Donald was at the helm, and he threw her up into the wind just
before she came to the pier, so that when she forged ahead, with her
sails shaking in the wind, her head came up within a few inches of the
landing-place. Mr. Ramsay fended her off, and went ashore with a line in
his hand, which he made fast to a ring. Captain Patterdale walked around
to the wharf, as soon as he saw where she was to make a landing.

"Well, how do you like her, Sam?" said Donald to a young man of his own
age in the standing-room with him.

"First rate; and I hope your father will go to work on mine at once,"
replied the passenger.

"You will lay down the keel on Monday--won't you, father?"

"What?" asked Mr. Ramsay, who had seated himself on a log on the wharf.

"You will lay down the keel of the boat for Mr. Rodman on Monday--won't
you?" repeated Donald.

"Yes, if I am able; I don't feel very well to-day." And the boat-builder
doubled himself up, as though he was in great pain.

The young man in the standing-room of the Sea Foam was Samuel Rodman, a
schoolmate of Donald, whose father was a wealthy man, and had ordered
another boat like the Skylark, which had been the model for the new
yacht. He had come down to see the craft, and had been invited to take a
sail in her; but an engagement had prevented him from going as far as
Turtle Head, and the boat-builder and his son had returned to land him,
intending still to make the trip. By this time Captain Patterdale had
reached the end of the wharf. He went on board of the Sea Foam, and
looked her over with a critical eye, and was entirely satisfied with
her. He was invited to sail in her for as short a time as he chose, but
he declined.

"By the way, Donald, did you see the green tin box when you were in my
library this afternoon?" he asked, when all the topics relating to the
yacht had been disposed of.

"Yes, sir; I saw you take some money from it," replied Donald.

"Then you remember the box?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did you notice it when you came out--I mean, when you left the house?"

"I don't remember seeing it when I came out," answered Donald, wondering
what these questions meant.

"I want to get another box just like that one. Did you take particular
notice of it?"