Sound. Kit had known him as long as she could remember, and the old fellow had always been fond of the daring, wayward child. She went up to him now, and held out her hand.
"How do you do, Cap'n Tass?" she said.
He took his pipe from his mouth, stared a minute, then got up and gave her both his great paws.
"Shirks an' finbacks!" he said, shaking with a great inward laugh. "If it ain't little Kit gone an' growed a woman! How d'ye do, Kit ? How d'ye do? Y'r lookin' thin, little un. That'll never do. Ye didn't never use to look thin, when you use to cut up round the old Kingfisher. What a wild un you was though, Kit! Glad to see ye, anyhow; glad to see ye."
She had eaten nothing since morning, little then. She felt faint. She would go in and buy some biscuits. She passed in. The two men went on with their talk. Kit could hear every word.
"Seen this here, Cap'n Tass?" It was Potter's voice.
"What? That poster? No, hain't looked at it partickler. Let's see. 'Thousan' dollars reward.' Hello! Guess I hev seen it. Got over here, eh, has it? Let's hear it, Tom, an' I'll tell ye 'bout it."
"'One thousand reward. The above reward will be paid by the subscriber, to any person who shall give such information as shall lead to the discovery of the schooner Onward, which was sunk by the steamer Ticonderoga, in a fog, on the morning of the 12th of March last, supposed at the time to be about four miles off Clerken Light, bearing S. E. half E. Information must be given personally to Garrett Ingram, High street, Rutherby.'"
"Ho, ho, ho," laughed Marlin. "Ho, ho, ho. That's the stunnin'est joke I ever see. Ho, ho, ho. Ain't it a good un, Tom? I never told ye, did I? Well, look here. I could take that there thousand if I liked, an' I won't hev it. I know where to put my finger on that schooner, but I won't. Know why? Cause if I make one thousan' out of it, Gat Ingram 'll make ten. An' ruther 'n that, I'd give a thousan' to keep him from findin' her. Me an' Gat Ingram ain't no frien's, we ain't. He sarved me a scaly trick on the banks once that I'll never forgive him. But that's a good un, that is—'off Clerken Light, four mile sou'-east half-east.' Haw, haw, haw. The fact is, Tom, they didn't nary one on 'em know where they was—the fog was so thick. I was out in the Bess that same arternoon, takin' a look at things, ye know. I cruised roun' a little an', takin' 'count of wind an' tide, an' the pint where the Ticondrogy run ashore, I made up my mind the schooner wasn't sunk 'off Clerken Light, sou'-east half-east.' I waited till dead low water, an' then run the Bess down where I thought was about the spot. Well, sir, ye wouldn't believe it, but I wasn't twenty foot out o' the line. It was more luck than anything, I've allus said, but, howsever, it was her an' no mistake. I didn't let on to nobody, though. Says I, I'll let 'em hunt for her awhile, then I'll get fifty dollars out of 'em for showin' where she lays. I put my mark on to her, ye see. Well, they scratched roun', dragged high an' low, an' never got near her. I went out an' watched 'em every day. Scratch away, my hearties, says I; bime-by I'll put in my oar. Well, I'd just about made up my mind to speak to the company that owned her, when I heerd how Gat Ingram had bought out their right in her on a spec. He offered fifty dollars reward right away, an' he's been huntin' fur her ever since. The reward's been a growin' bigger 'n bigger till it's got to what ye see. But it'll grow to ten
