The salvage price

An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.

The fishing boat had struck the outer rocks before dawn. By noon its crew were ashore, but the vessel remained trapped, tilting whenever the tide rose. A salvage owner examined it from the beach. He offered the captain a price for pulling it free. The captain looked at the number, then at the men who would have no work if the boat were lost.

The owner said the task was dangerous. His ropes might break; his own boat might be damaged. The captain knew these things were true. He also knew the price was twice the sum the same man had charged after last winter’s storm. He asked what had changed. The owner pointed towards the rising water. There was less time to discuss it now.

One fisherman offered the money he had saved for a new roof. Another began counting coins into his cap. The owner watched without moving. Then a second salvage boat rounded the headland. Its master called to ask whether help was needed. The first owner reduced his price before the captain answered.

The two boats worked together until evening. The captain paid the agreed sum and helped coil the damaged ropes. He did not thank the first owner warmly, but neither did he pretend the work had been easy. On the beach, the fishermen put their roof money back into their pockets. Their boat floated beyond the rocks, bearing both the scratches of the rescue and the cost of having needed it.

“The salvage owner is presented as exploiting the captain’s difficulty.”

Evaluate how successfully the writer presents this idea. Support your judgement with detailed references to the passage.