“Dot judge lookin’ kindly on Cop’in Cy for goin’ out in a gale of wind and savin’ one hundred souls from de cruel ocean. But he ain’t so kindly about him boardin’ a vessel with a gun in his hand and eleven men with guns in deres. He don’t know what to do. Said your papa got to be rewarded and punished at one de same time. So dis what he do. He give your papa a choice. De reward for savin’ souls be his captain’s share of de salvage auction—ten t’ousand dollars! De punishment for usin’ armed force when it wasn’t called for would be dot his wrecker’s license be suspended for five years. De other choice, he could keep his license, but forfeit his share de profits to Cop’in Sanford. Don’t know how much your papa told you, but if you know him, den you know what he choose.”

“He took the risks, he saved the people and the cargo, the salvage was his,” said Nathaniel. Artemis nodded gravely.

“De principle, not de loot. When de trial finished, your papa goes up to Cop’in Sanford and asks him what de hell hoppen to de copy of his license dot he nail to de ship. All he wants is a honest answer, but Sanford says he got no idea and dot your papa can go straight to hell. Cop’in Cy pop him hard ’tween the sidelights, and Sanford, he kinda stood dere a second before he start to fall, but he ain’t fallin’ fast enough to suit de cop’in, so he pop him again, and dot scuttled him. Right on de street in front of de Monroe County courthouse! Was de principle of de thing, you see. I tell you, boys, all of us on de eye-lond know dot your papa supposed to come from a right and proper family in Boston, and all I got to say is dot if a mon from de nice side de tracks can hit like dot, den I don’t want nuttin’ to do with one from de bad side of town.” Artemis smiled at the recollection and said, “De principle and not de loot. He kept two t’ousand for hisself, for expenses for de ship and payin’ off his lawyer, and turn over de rest to me and Jimmy Wakefield, fifty-fifty. He knew dere be no call for a one-eyed diver, and sure enough none for one got no eyes. He took care of us, and you know, with de four t’ousand I got I bought my house over to Petronia Street, free and clear, and de furniture in it, and I buy my sponge boat, free and clear. Ain’t no bank, no mortgage mon can never take dem from me. Set me up for life, Cop’in Cy did.”