repair our boat and continue
our trip in her, but I saw that this would be impossible, and I asked
Captain Jabe if he could take us to Brimley.

"I can do that," he answered, "but not straight. I have got fust to sail
over to Widder Kinley's, which is on that p'int which ye can just see
over there on the edge of the water, and where I was due yesterday
afternoon. Then I've got to touch at three or four other places along
the east shore; and then, if this wind holds, I guess I can git across
the bay to my own house, where I have got to lay up all day to-morrow.
The next day is Saturday, and then I am bound to be in Brimley to take
in stock. There ye two gents can take the cars for wherever ye want to
go; and if ye choose to give me the job of raisin' yer boat and sendin'
it to its owners, I'll do it for ye as soon as I can fix things
suitable, and will charge ye just half price for the job, considerin'
that nuther of us had our lights out, and we ought to share damages."

I agreed to the proposed disposition of our boat, and asked Captain Jabe
if I could not hire him to take us direct to Brimley.

"No, sir!" he answered. "I never pass by my customers, especially Widder
Kinley, for she is the farthest off of any of them."

"And she must be lookin' out sharp for us, too," said Abner, "for she
bakes Thursdays, and she ought to sot her bread last night."

"And I am a great deal afeard," continued Captain Jabe, "that her yeast
cakes won't be any too fresh when she gits 'em; and the quicker that
boat's down to the bottom and our anchor up off the bottom, the better
it will be for the Widder Kinley's batch of bread."

In the course of half an hour an empty oil-keg was moored over the spot
where our boat lay upon the sandy bar, and we were sailing as fast as
such an unwieldy vessel, with her mainsail permanently reefed above the
roof of her grocery store, could be expected to sail. Our tacks were
long and numerous, and although Walkirk and I lent a hand whenever there
was occasion for it, and although there was a fair wind, the distant
point rose but slowly upon our horizon.

"I hope," I remarked to Captain Jabe, "that the Widow Kinley will buy a
good bill of you, after you have taken all this trouble to get to her."

"Dunno," said he; "she don't generally take more than she has ordered
the week before, and all she has ordered this time is two yeast cakes."

"Do you mean," exclaimed Walkirk, "that you are taking all thi