16 THE FATTED CALF. 



mine about that twenty-pound stone over yonder 

 there. Come, sonnywax, bring me that flat stone 

 — that big, round one, with the barnacles all 

 over it ! ' 



" I went and brought the stone. It was shaped 

 like Daddy Jones's lapstone and it weighed not an 

 ounce under twenty pounds. The old tyrant took 

 that stone and slung it to my back with a strong 

 cord slipped round in a lark's head knot. 



" ' Now,' he roared, ' I guess you'll not get out 

 of hailing distance again this cruise ! ' 



" Then we pushed the boat off through the 

 rollers and made for the large island. I tugged 

 at my oar with the big stone banging against my 

 shoulder-blades and jabbing the barnacles into my 

 back. I would rather have taken the rope-ending. 



" I thought we'd never get ashore, but at last 

 we did. We rushed the boat out of the water on 

 a fine sand beach, a mile or more long and as 

 straight as a street. 



" The cap'ns started ahead, keeping a bright 

 lookout for seals, but we boys lagged behind, 

 and as soon as we dared we got a new stone, the 

 same shape but only about half as heavy, and 

 no barnacles on it, and we put it in place of the 

 twenty-pounder on my back. I tell you, it was a 

 relief ! 



