Not above
doing a kind act, he also enjoyed having it appreciated.
"Who'll command the relief boat!" called one of the women. "Jack
Benson?"
"No," replied Mr. Farnum, shaking his head. "Captain Benson must go out
on naval business to-day."
A murmur of disappointment went up from the crowd. Jack Benson was a
young skipper on whose success a Dunhaven crowd would make bets.
"But, see here," proposed the shipbuilder, "I'll go out myself, on the
'Benson,' and take Williamson along with me. Now, you folks find any
local salt-water captain and a couple of good deck hands to go with me."
"When will you start, sir?" asked the spokesman.
"The minute you have my helpers ready. There's Captain Allen among you
now. If he'll go, he's as good a salt-water dog as I want on a cruise
with me. Let him pick two sailors out of the crowd. We can start in
five minutes."
Another cheer went up as Jacob Farnum, leaving the outer door open,
hurried back to his own party. Captain Allen, a retired master of
coasting vessels, had five times as many volunteers in the crowd as he
needed.
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