Also, here's so many
claiming the pack of this factory that I'm in considerable doubt as to
who is the rightful owner. First there's the Baldwin interest and the
American interest, represented by you two chaps. Then there's the St.
Johns interest, represented by that travelling man; the British
interest, which is a mighty powerful one, seeing that it is supported
by the English navy; the French government interest, which is likewise
backed up by a fleet of warships, and the French factory interest,
represented by our friend in limbo, who, though he isn't saying much
just now, seems to have a pretty strong political pull. So, on the
whole, the ownership appears to be muddled, and the pack itself subject
to a good many conflicting claims. I expect also that the factory
workmen and the lobster catchers have some sort of a lien on it for
services rendered."
"Look here, Captain Bland," said Cabot, "we understand perfectly that
all you have just said is trade talk, made to depreciate the value of
our goods, and you know as well as I do that they have but one rightful
owner."
"Who is that?" asked the skipper with an air of interest.
"Mrs. William Baldwin."
"But I thought she deeded the property to you."
"So she did; but as I am not yet of age that deed is worth no more than
the paper on which it is written."
"You don't mean it. What a whopping big bluff it was then!" cried
Captain Bland, admiringly.
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