"Do you think you will be able to recover it?" asked Jack, anxiously.
"It's a toss up whether we do or not. If Amos Hooker has it, I think it can be managed, but it will have to be very carefully worked. It will be better to say nothing at all about it, and make no inquiries3. Amos will keep it for some time before he tries to dispose of it, and if we leave him alone he may get careless. Black pearls are very scarce, and one the shape and size of ours will be easily recognised. On the whole, I think it may be recovered, but it will cost money."
Jack was relieved to hear this, and said, when he and Barry were alone,—
"I have a particular reason for wishing to recover that pearl. Do you know what I intended doing if we had brought it here safely?"
"No."
"I intended asking you to buy it for me, and allow me to pay for it when I had the money."
Barry looked surprised as he said,—
"What do you require such a valuable pearl for? You could do a great deal better with your money."
"I wished to send it home as a present to a great friend of mine."
"A lady, of course," said Barry smiling. "I see; it would be a very valuable gift, and she ought to think a lot of it, if ever she receives it."
"She would," replied Jack, "but more on account of my finding it than for its actual value."
"I'll try and get it for you," said Barry, "and if I succeed, you shall have it at a fair price. Ah, here's Silas, I thought he would not be able to wait until my return."
Silas Filey walked anxiously about, waiting for Barry Tuxford, and as the time passed, became impatient.
"He's staying on board just to aggravate4 everybody, that's his little game. I want to be first in at this deal. I'll take a boat out to the schooner5 and risk the chance of being ordered away."
As the boat came alongside the "Heron," Barry Tuxford looked over the side and said, with a laugh, "What are you here for Silas? I am afraid we have nothing on board that will suit you."
"Will you let me have a look at the pearls?" asked Silas.
"It's against the rules, you must wait until we come ashore6."
"I say, Barry, give me first chance, and I'll offer you a good price, upon my word, I will. I want a string of good pearls badly for a customer who is not particular how much he pays so long as he gets what he wants."
"That's the sort of man I like to get hold of," said Barry.
"They are difficult to find, but this is a cert, a real cert; let me come on board."
"I must ask the skipper," said Barry.
"You are the owner, that is sufficient," replied Silas.
"Phil Danks is in charge and it is only fair to ask his permission, but I will try and arrange it for you."
Barry disappeared, and Silas muttered to himself—
"He's a confounded humbug7, he's keeping me here for fun. I wonder what they have on board. He'll drive a hard bargain now he sees I am so eager, but I must have the pearls, it's a big deal if I get what my man wants."
When Barry Tuxford returned, he said,—
"If I let you have first pick you must be prepared to give a stiff price, I know the value of pearls as well as you do."
"I'll deal fair with you, upon my word, I will," said Silas. "May I come up?"
"Yes," replied Barry, "and mind, there's to be no Jew business about this transaction."
Silas Filey scrambled8 up the ladder and climbed over the side of the schooner. Barry introduced him to Jack, who thought the dealer9 a curious looking man to handle valuable pearls.
Jacob Rank and Phil were both known to Silas, who congratulated the former on his return to life.
"We thought you'd gone under, Jacob," he said, "but I'm glad such is not the case. You have made a grand discovery, I hear, found pearls by the hundreds, somewhere. You are a clever chap, Jacob, very clever."
"And who gave you such valuable information?" asked Jacob.
"Never mind where I got it from, it's true."
"Much you know about it. If I owned this blessed schooner, or happened to be skipper of her, I'd take precious good care to keep her decks clear of such men as you," growled10 Jacob.
"I have done you no harm, my friend," said Silas.
"And I'll take jolly good care you never have the chance," was the reply. "Pearl dealers11 are frauds, I'd have nothing to do with you if I was Mr. Tuxford."
"But you are not Mr. Tuxford, my dear Jacob," said Silas. "If you were, you would have made a fortune long ago, with the chances you have had."
"You two are always at it," said Barry. "Come and see the pearls, Silas."
"Keep your eyes on him, and don't let him handle them," was Jacob's parting shot.
"I'm sorry for him," said Silas, "Jacob is a good fellow, but he's a fool."
They went to Jack's cabin, and he unlocked the box and took out the various drawers containing the different sized pearls. When Silas saw the collection, his eyes fastened on them eagerly and Barry Tuxford, who was watching him closely, thought he would be able to sell well. There were pearls of all shapes, egg-shaped, oval, pear shaped, curiously12 twisted pearls, and pearls of many sizes. In one box, Silas saw about forty or fifty perfect pearls, free from all excrescences, with perfectly13 smooth surfaces, and possessing a brilliant even
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