admitted as a friend who might aid
in quelling the disturbance that was making the deafened jailers and
noise-maddened prisoners regret the presence of Mr. Burkett, found the
man clinging to the iron rods and kicking his foot against them.

"It's the last thing he did before he left town, this what he has done
to me. I can't give bonds. I don't know anybody in this city," raved the
prisoner.

"I'm afraid that I don't know the folks here very well, judging from my
experiences trying to raise money," stated Captain Mayo, after he had
quieted Burkett. "But I'll go out and see what I can do."

After some pleading he induced a fish wholesaler to go to the jail with
him and inspect Burkett as a risk in the matter of bonds. Mr. Burkett,
being a man of guile, controlled his wrath and offered a presentable
guise of mildness.

"But how am I going to know that he won't be hunting this enemy up as
soon as I give bonds?" asked the fishman.

"Captain Mayo is tackling a job of wrecking, offcoast," said Burkett,
"and I'm out of work just now and will go with him. I'll be a safe risk,
all right, out there."

"Does that go with you, Captain Mayo?"

"Yes, sir."

After the matter of bonds had been arranged before the commissioner, and
when Burkett walked down the street with Mayo, the latter stopped on a
corner.

"I'll have to leave you here, Burkett. I'm going aboard the schooner.
We're sailing."

"But how about your taking me?"

"I was willing to help you lie that much, Burkett. I knew you did not
intend to go with me."

"I don't want to put you in bad with anybody after this, Captain Mayo.
I need to keep away for a time where I won't be in danger of seeing
Fletcher Fogg. If I meet him while I'm frothing like this, I'll kill
him, even if it means the chair. Give me a lay aboard that steamer, no
matter how bad your prospects are, and I'll be square with you.
That's my man's word to you. I realize it isn't much of a word in your
estimation--but there are some promises I can keep. I propose to help
you get back at Fogg and his gang. That's reason enough for what I'm
doing," he pleaded, earnestly. "You ought to see that yourself. I'm just
as good a man with machinery as I am in the pilot-house. I won't set you
back any!"

"All right, Mr. Burkett, come along," agreed Mayo, curtly, without
enthusiasm.

There was a fair wind for their departure and Mayo headed the schooner
for Maquoit. The few words which Captain Candage ha