"Yah!" cried Bob mockingly. "Why, she's worth thirty at least."

"Bob!" whispered Dexter excitedly. "You mustn't sell her."

"You hold your tongue."

"I wouldn't give thirty shillings for her," said the man, coming close
now and mooring his own crazy craft by holding on to the gunwale of the
gig. "She's too old."

"That she ain't," cried Bob. "Why, she's nearly new."

"Not she. Only been varnished up, that's all. I'll give you a pound
for her."

"No," said Bob, to Dexter's great relief.

"I'll give you a pound for her, and my old 'un chucked in," said the
man. "It's more than she's worth, but I know a man who wants such a
boat as that."

"You mustn't sell her, Bob," whispered Dexter, who was now in agony.

"You hold your row. I know what I'm a-doing of."

"Look here," said the man, "I'm going a little farder, and I'll fetch
the money, and then if you like to take it we'll trade. It's more'n
she's worth, though, and you'd get my little boat in, as is as good a
boat as ever swum."

He pushed off and rowed away, while, as soon as he was out of sight,
Dexter attacked his companion with vigour.

"We mustn't sell her, Bob," he said.

"Why not? She's our'n now."

"No, she isn't; and we've promised to take her back."

"Look here!" said Bob, "have you got any money?"

"No, but we shan't want any as soon as we get to the island."

"Yes, we shall, and a pound would be no end of good."

"But we would have to give up our voyage."

"No, we shouldn't. We'd make his boat do."

"But it's such a shabby one. We mustn't sell the boat, Bob."

"Look here! I'm captain, and I shall do as I like."

"Then I shall tell the man the boat isn't ours."

"If you do I'll knock your eye out. See if I don't," cried Bob
fiercely.

Dexter felt hot, and his fists clenched involuntarily, but he sat very
still.

"If I like to sell the boat I shall. We want the money, and the other
boat will do."

"I say it won't," said Dexter sharply.

"Why, hullo!" cried Bob, laughing. "Here's cheek."

"I don't care, it would be stealing Sir James's boat, and I say it
shan't be done."

"Oh, yer do--do yer!" said Bob, in a bullying tone.

"You won't be happy till I've given you such a licking as'll make yer
teeth ache. Now, just you hold your row, and wait till I gets yer
ashore, and you shall have it. I'd give it to yer now, only I should
knock yer overboard and drown'd yer, and I don't want to do that the
first time.