The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1907-02-20
CHAPTER VIII.

! S3j it on the bed. what are
you plannin' to do now that our late
| lamented owners have committed
financial suicide by cuttln' you off in
the flower of your youth, so to speak?'
1t was late the morning of the third
day after the captains return from his
flying visit to New York. They had
said goodby to the Thomas Doane the
previous forenoon and were now occu-
plying a room in the United States ho-
tel.
Bradley, who was sitting by the
window, looking down upon the hats
of the people In the narrow street,
answered slowly: 81 don't know. I've
been waiting to find out what you in
tended doing"
The captain crossed his legs and tilt
ed back In his chair.
II cal'late," he observed, that /
could walk out of this gilded palace
of luxury and run afoul of another
Shippers berth inside of an hour. Not
at my old wages, Of course, but pref
| ty fair berth, all the same. But, fact
is, Brad, I've had a kink in my main
sheet for a considerable spell. I've had
notion that some day l was goin' to
cut loose and cruise on my own hook.
You know I've limited at 1t for over
year. Now, 1t looks as II this was my
chance or never. Brad. how'd you Ike
to be a wreckerT
"A wreckerT Bradleys face showed
his absolute establishment.
ooh, / don't mean the line of wreck
in that is maxim your eyes stick out
at this minute. Do you know Caleb
Burgess, Capn Jerry's cousln?"
Yes; Bradley knew him. He owned
little schooner that fitted along the
Cape Cod coast, picking up floating
wreckage when II was Of value, drag
ging for anchors, dredging for chains
and ironwork lost by vessels In trou-
BILE and doing a sort of nautical old
| junk business.
Well" went on the captain, "Caleb's
! gittin' old, and he'd like to sell out
Most folks think he's scratched bare
! Twin from the shoals, but happen to
know that he's done a good deal better
than that. The old man told me how
much he had in the bank, and 1t want
TO be sneezed at. Now, could buy that
schooner of his cheap. She isn't much,
and money would have to be spent on
her, but she'd do for a start You under
stand the wreckln' business I'd do
wouldn't be anchor draggin' alone.
/ There's money in a first class wreckin'
plant on Cape Cod Wrecks! Why
they pile up there three deep every
winter Now, listen a minute, while |
rise to blow"
Bradley listened and the captain
talked. He had evidently given much
thought to this proposition. and his
plans were ambitious. He believed
that if a capable man bought the Lizzie
that was the name of the Burgess
schooner-added to her equipment and
sailed her himself he could build up a
profitable business. The salvage Of
/ cargoes of stranded schooners and of
the schooners themselves played a
| large part i'm his plans. One or two
good sized jobs of this kind taken on a
commission basis would bring In capital
enough TO warrant the purchase Of a
bigger vessel, fitted with auxiliary
power, fitted with diving equipment
derricks and the like.
But wouldn't that take capitalY
"Sartin sure. But let me-us-prove
that the profits there and the capital II
be donated, like frozen potaters at a
minister's surprise party Oh, I've
thought it out! Now, here!"
The captains plan for Bradley's CO.
operation was, briefly stated, just this:
He Captain Titcomb) would provide
the money for buying the Lizzie and
whatever else was Immediately neces-
sary Bradley would contribute his
savings to the pile. They were to be
partners on equal shares, but Bradley
was to pay from his share Of whatever
profits might come from time to time
the amount necessary to make his in
vestment the equal Of the captains.
No new move was to be made without
the consent of both partners. 1t was a
very generous offer, and Bradley said
so.
mo generosity about It," protested
Captain Ezra. I'm lookin' out for
myself, and need you, as the tipsy
man said to the lamp post. tell you,
honest, sha'n't go into this thing I'M
less you go in with me. Maybe it's a
fool notion anyway. Well, there" he
concluded, "now that I've unloaded
my mind, Wen go down to the Cape
this afternoon. I'll look round, and
you take a week to think things over
In. At the end Of the week you can
say Yes or No."
They caught the 4 o'clock train for
Orham.
The "old maids" were washing the
supper dishes when Bradley surprised
them by walking into the dining room.
When the first shock was over the sis
tiers were the most delighted pair in
Orham. They insisted on preparing a
brand new meal for their boy" and
no amount Of protestatlon on his part
could change their minds.
They were very curious to know why
BRADLEY had come home so unexpect-