table。 For three days Mrs。 Ellis had swathed her head in white and
her soul in black。 For three days her favorite accompaniment to
conversation had been a groan or a sigh。 Now； on this fourth
morning； she appeared without the bandage on her brow or the crape
upon her spirit。 She was not hilarious but she did not groan once；
and twice during the meal she actually smiled。 Captain Lote
commented upon the change； she being absent from table momentarily。
〃Whew！〃 he observed； in an undertone； addressing his wife。 〃If it
ain't a comfort to see the wrinkles on Rachel's face curvin' up
instead of down。 I'm scared to death that she'll go out some time
in a cold spell when she's havin' one of them sympathetics of hers；
and her face'll freeze that way。 Well； Albert；〃 turning to his
grandson； 〃the colors'll be h'isted to the truck now instead of
half…mast and life'll be somethin' besides one everlastin' 'last
look at the remains。' Now we can take off the mournin' till the
next funeral。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Olive； 〃and Laban'll be back； too。 I'm sure you must
have missed him awfully； Zelotes。〃
〃Missed him！ I should say so。 For one thing； I miss havin' him
between me and Issy。 When Labe's there Is talks to him and Labe
keeps on thinkin' of somethin' else and so it don't worry him any。
I can't do that； and my eardrums get to wearin' thin and that makes
me nervous。 Maybe you've noticed that Issy's flow of conversation
ain't what you'd call a trickle；〃 he added； turning to Albert。
Albert had noticed it。 〃But；〃 he asked； 〃what makes RachelMrs。
Ellisso cheerful this morning？ Does she know that Mr。 Keeler
will be back at work？ How does she know？ She hasn't seen him； has
she？〃
〃No；〃 replied the captain。 〃She ain't seen him。 Nobody sees him；
far's that goes。 He generally clears out somewheres and locks
himself up in a room； I judge； till his vacation's over。 I suppose
that's one way to have fun； but it ain't what I'd call hilarious。〃
〃Don't； Zelotes；〃 said Mrs。 Snow。 〃I do wish you wouldn't call it
fun。〃
〃I don't； but Laban seems to。 If he don't do it for fun I don't
know what he does it for。 Maybe it's from a sense of duty。 It
ain't to oblige me； I know that。〃
Albert repeated his question。 〃But how does she know he will be
back to…day？〃 he asked。
His grandmother shook her head。 〃That's the mysterious part about
it；〃 she whispered。 〃It makes a person think there may be
somethin' in the sympathetic notion she talks so much about。 She
don't see him at all and yet we can always tell when he's comin'
back to work by her spirits。 If he ain't back to…day he will be
to…morrow； you'll see。 She never misses by more than a day。 _I_
think it's real sort of mysterious； but Zelotes laughs at me。〃
Captain Lote's lip twitched。 〃Yes； Mother；〃 he said； 〃it's about
as mysterious as the clock's strikin' twelve when it's noon。 _I_
know it's morally sartin that Labe'll be back aboard to…day or to…
morrow because his sprees don't ever last more than five days。 I
can't swear to how she knows； but that's how _I_ knowand I'm
darned sure there's no 'sympathy' about my part。〃 Then； as if
realizing that he had talked more than usual； he called； brusquely：
〃Come on； Al； come on。 Time we were on the job； boy。〃
Sure enough； as they passed the window of the office； there； seated
on the stool behind the tall desk； Albert saw the diminutive figure
of the man who had been his driver on the night of his arrival。
He was curious to see how the delinquent would apologize for or
explain his absence。 But Mr。 Keeler did neither； nor did Captain
Snow ask a question。 Instead the pair greeted each other as if
they had parted in that office at the close of business on the
previous day。
〃Mornin'； Cap'n Lote；〃 said Laban； quietly。
〃Mornin'； Labe；〃 replied the captain； just as calmly。
He went on and opened his own desk； leaving his grandson standing
by the door； not knowing whether to speak or offer to shake hands。
The situation was a little difficult； particularly as Mr。 Keeler
gave no sign of recognition； but； after a glance at his employer's
companion； went on making entries in the ledger。
Captain Zelotes looked up a moment later。 His gray eyes inspected
the pair and the expression on Albert's face caused them to twinkle
slightly。 〃Labe；〃 he said； 〃this is my grandson； Albert； the one I
told you was comin' to live with us。〃
Laban turned on the stool； regarded Albert over his spectacles； and
extended a hand。
〃Pleased to meet you；〃 he said。 〃Yes； yes 。 。 。 Yes； yes； yes。 。 。
Pleased to meet you。 Cap'n Lote said you was comin'erer
Alfred。 Howdy do。〃
They shook hands。 Mr。 Keeler's hand trembled a little； but that
was the only symptom of his recent 〃vacation〃 which the youth could
notice。 Certain vivid remembrances of his father's bad humor on
mornings following convivial evenings recurred to him。 Was it
possible that this odd； precise； dried…up little man had been on a
spree for four days？ It did not seem possible。 He looked more as
if he might be expected to rap on the desk and ask the school to
come to order。
〃Albert's goin' to take hold here with us in the office；〃 went on
Captain Lote。 〃You'll remember I spoke to you about that when we
talked about his comin'。 Al； LabeMr。 Keeler herewill start you
in larnin' to bookkeep。 He'll be your first mate from now on。
Don't forget you're a fo'mast hand yet awhile and the way for a
fo'mast hand to get ahead is to obey orders。 And don't；〃 he added；
with a quiet chuckle； 〃do any play…actin' or poetry…makin' when
it's your watch on deck。 Laban nor I ain't very strong for play…
actin'； are we； Labe？〃
Laban； to whom the reference was anything but clear； replied rather
vaguely that he didn't know as he was； very。 Albert's temper
flared up again。 His grandfather was sneering at him once more； he
was always sneering at him。 All right； let him sneernow。 Some
day he would be shown。 He scowled and turned away。 And Captain
Zelotes； noticing the scowl； was reminded of a scowl he had seen
upon the face of a Spanish opera singer some twenty years before。
He did not like to be reminded of that man。
He went out soon afterward and then Laban； turning to Albert； asked
a few questions。
〃How do you think you're goin' to like South Harniss； Ansel？〃 he
asked。
Albert was tempted to reply that he； Keeler； had asked him that
very question before； but he thought it best not to do so。
〃I don't know yet；〃 he answered； carelessly。 〃Well enough； I
guess。〃
〃You'll like it fust…rate bimeby。 Everybody does when they get
used to it。 Takes some time to get used to a place； don't you know
it does； Ansel？〃
〃My name is Albert。〃
〃Eh？ Yes； yes； so 'tis。 Yes； yes； yes。 I don't know why I called
you Ansel； 'less 'twas on account of my knowin' an Ansel Olsen
once 。 。 。 Hum 。 。 。 Yes； yes。 Well； you'll like South Harniss
when you get used to it。〃
The boy did not answer。 He was of the opinion that he should die
long before the getting used process was completed。 Mr。 Keeler
continued。
〃Come on yesterday's train； did you？〃 he asked。
Albert looked at him。 Was the fellow joking？ He did not look as
if he was。
〃Why no；〃 he replied。 〃I came last Monday night。 Don't you
remember？〃
〃Eh？ Oh； yes 。 。 。 Yes； yes； yes 。 。 。 Last Monday night you
come； eh？ On the night train； eh？〃 He hesitated a moment and then
asked。 〃Cap'n Lote fetch you down from the depot？〃
Albert stared at him open…mouthed。
〃Why； no！〃 he retorted。 〃You drove me down yourself。〃
For the first time a slight shade of embarrassment crossed the
bookkeeper's features。 He drew a long breath。
〃Yes；〃 he mused。 〃Yes； yes； yes。 I kind of thought Iyes； yes；
II thought likely I did 。 。 。 Yes； yes； course I did； course I
did。 Well； now maybe we'd better be startin' you in to worker
Augustus。 Know anything about double…entry； do you？〃
Albert did not； nor had he the slightest desire to learn。 But
before the first hour was over he foresaw that he was destined to
learn； if he remained in that office； whether he wanted to or not。
Laban Keeler might be； and evidently was； peculiar in his ways； but
as a bookkeeper he was thoroughness personified。 And as a teacher
of his profession he was just as thorough。 All that forenoon
Albert practiced the first principles of 〃double entry〃 and； after
the blessed hour for dinner； came back to practice the remainder of
the working day。
And so for many days。 Little by little he learned to invoice and
journalize and 〃post in the ledger〃 and all the rest of the detail
of bookkeeping。 Not that his instructor permitted him to do a
great deal of actual work upon the books of Z。 Snow and Co。 Those
books were too spotless and precious for that。 Looking over them
Albert was surprised and obliged to admit a grudging admiration at
the manner in which； for the most part； they had been kept。 Page
after page of the neatest of minute figures； not a blot； not a
blur； not an erasure。 So for months； then； in the minor books；
like the day…book or journal； would suddenly break out an eruption
of smudges and scrawls in the rugged handwriting of Captain
Zelotes。 When he first happened upon one of these Albert
unthinkingly spoke to Mr。 Keeler about it。 He asked the latter
what it meant。
Laban slowly stroked his nose with his thumb and finger； a habit he
had。
〃I cal'late I was away for a spell then；〃 he said； gravely。 〃Yes；
yes 。 。 。 Yes； yes； yes。 I was away for a little spell。〃
He went soberly back to his desk。 His new assistant； catching a
glimpse of his face； felt a pang of real pity for the little man。
Of course the reason for the hiatus in the books was plain enough。
He knew about those 〃little spells。〃 Oddly enough Laban seemed to
feel sorry for them。 He remembered how funny the bookkeeper had
appeared at their first meeting； when one 〃spell〃 was just
developing； and the contrast between the singing； chirruping clown
and the precise； grave little person at the desk struck even his
youthful mind as peculiar。 He had read 〃Doctor Jekyll and Mr。
Hyde；〃 and now here was an example of something similar。 He was
beginn