just like, and just as effective, as the boat you now command?"

"What do you want to do with such plans?" asked Benson.

"Why, would you care about that, if I pay you well enough?"

"Perhaps not," muttered Jack Benson. "Still, when I go into anything,
I like to know all about it."

"Well, then," cried M. Lemaire, gayly, "first of all, we will come to
the question of a fee to be paid you for your trouble. Such drawings
and such papers you could prepare for us in two or three days, could
you not?"

"I think that very likely," Jack admitted. He had thrust his hands
deep down into his trousers pockets, in order to restrain his very
natural impulse to spring at the Frenchman and rain blows in the latter's
face.

"Two or three days' work, let us say," continued M. Lemaire. "And, for
that we will pay you handsomely--ten thousand dollars in the best
money of your land!"

They halted, gazing at each other. For a few seconds Jack Benson did
not dare trust himself to utter a word. When he did speak, it was to
ask, calmly:

"M. Lemaire, who is your master?"

"My master?" repeated the Frenchman. "I do not understand you."