nt Bay had rigged on the house of the cabin.

It was a famous evening.

CHAPTER XXVII

_In Which the Amazing Operations of the "Black Eagle"
Promise to Ruin the Firm of Topsail, Armstrong, Grimm &
Company, and Archie Armstrong Loses His Temper and Makes a
Fool of Himself_

Trade was brisk next day--and continued brisk for a fortnight. From
Coachman's Cove to Seal Cove, from Seal Cove to Black Arm, from Black
Arm to Harbour Round and Little Harbour Deep went the _Spot Cash_. She
entered with gay signal flags and a multitude of little Union Jacks
flying; and no sooner was the anchor down than the phonograph began
its musical invitation to draw near and look and buy. And there was
presently candy for the children; and there were undeniable bargains
for the mothers. In the evening--under a quiet starlit sky--Skipper
Bill "tussled" gloriously with "The Lost Pirate," and Bobby North
shook the hornpipe out of his very toes, and Bill Topsail wistfully
piped the well-loved old ballads of the coast in a tender treble; and
after that Senor Fakerino created no end of mystification and applause
by extracting half-dollars from the vacant air, and discovering three
small chicks in an empty top-hat, and producing eggs at will from
Bagg's capacious mouth, and with a mere wave of his wand changing the
blackest of ink into the very most delicious of lemonade. The folk of
that remote coast were delighted. They had never been amused before;
and they craved amusement--like little children.

[Illustration: SENOR FAKERINO CREATED APPLAUSE BY EXTRACTING HALF DOLLARS
FROM VACANCY.]

Trade followed as a matter of course.

* * * * *

Trade was brisk as any heart could wish up the White Bay coast to the
first harbours of the northern reaches of the French Shore; and there
it came to an appalling full stop. The concerts were patronized as
before; but no fish came aboard for exchange.

"I can't bear to look the calendar in the face," Archie complained.

The _Spot Cash_ then lay at anchor in Englee.

"'Tis the fifth o' August," said Billy Topsail.

"Whew!" Archie whistled. "Sixteen days to the first of September!"

"What's the matter, anyhow?" Skipper Bill inquired.

"The _Black Eagle's_ the matter," said Archie, angrily. "She's swept
these harbours clean. She cleaned out Englee yesterday."

"Stand by, all hands!" roared the skipper.

"What's up, skipper?" asked Arch