"Are you still out of work, Mr. Kennedy?" he asked.
"I am; and I think I shall go to Bath next week," replied Kennedy.
[Illustration: THE NEWS FROM LINCOLNVILLE. Page 110.]
"Do you, lad? I don't want to move away from Belfast, and I should be glad to get work here. What's the job?"
"We are going to build a yacht of the size of the Sea Foam."
"My mother and I intend to carry on my father's business."
"No; I intend to manage it myself," added Donald, confidently.
"Well, lad, you are clever enough to do it; and if you are like your father, I shall be glad to work for you."
The wages were agreed upon, and Kennedy promised to be at the shop on Monday morning, to assist the young boat-builder in selecting the stock for the Maud. Donald walked to the house of Captain Shivernock. In the yard he found Sykes, the man who did all sorts of work for his employer, from taking care of the horses up to negotiating mortgages. Donald had occasionally been to the house, and he knew Sykes well enough to pass the time of day with him when they met in the street.
"Is Captain Shivernock at home?" asked the young man, trying to appear indifferent, for he wanted to get as much information in regard to the strange man's movements during the last twenty-four hours as possible.
"No, he is not," replied Sykes, who to some extent aped the manners of his eccentric employer.
"Not at home!" exclaimed Donald, who had not expected this answer, though he had not found his own boat at her moorings on his return from the excursion with the fleet.
"Then you heard me say he was not at home," growled Sykes.
"I want to see him very much. Will he be long away?" asked Donald.
"I can't tell you. He won't come back till he gets ready, if it isn't for a month."
"Of course not; but I should like to know when I can probably see him."
"You can probably see him when he comes home. He started in his boat for Vinal Haven early this morning."
"This morning?" repeated Donald, who wished to be sure on this point.
"Didn't I say so? This morning. He comes back when he pleases."
"I don't expect him. I never expect him. He may be home in five minutes, in five days, or five weeks."
"He left the house at five minutes after four this morning, the last that ever was. I looked at my watch when he went out at the gate; for I was thinking whether or no his boat wasn't aground. Do you want to know what he had for breakfast? If you do, you must ask my wife, for I don't know," growled Sykes.