youthful mind as peculiar。 He had read 〃Doctor Jekyll and Mr。
Hyde；〃 and now here was an example of something similar。 He was
beginning to like Laban Keeler； although he was perfectly sure that
he should never like bookkeeping。
He did not slave at the books all the time； of course。 For
stretches； sometimes lasting whole days； his slavery was of another
sort。 Then he was working in the lumber yard with Issachar； or
waiting on customers in the hardware shop。 The cold of winter set
in in earnest now and handling 〃two by fours〃 and other timber out
where the raw winds swept piercingly through one's overcoat and
garments and flesh to the very bone was a trying experience。 His
hands were chapped and cracked； even though his grandmother had
knit him a pair of enormous red mittens。 He appreciated the warmth
of the mittens； but he hated the color。 Why in the name of all
that was inartistic did she choose red； not a deep； rich crimson；
but a screeching vermilion； like a fireman's shirt？
Issachar； when he had the opportunity； was a hard boss。 It suited
Mr。 Price to display his superior knowledge and to find fault with
his helper's lack of skill。 Albert's hot temper was at the boiling
point many times； but he fought it down。 Occasionally he retorted
in kind； but his usual and most effective weapon was a more or less
delicate sarcasm。 Issachar did not understand sarcasm and under
rapid fire he was inclined to lose his head。
〃Consarn it！〃 he snapped； irritably； on one occasion。 〃Consarn it；
Al； why don't you h'ist up on t'other end of that j'ist？ What do
you cal'late you're out here along of me for； to look harnsome？〃
Albert shook his head。 〃No； Is；〃 he answered； gravely。 〃No； that
wouldn't be any use。 With you around nobody else has a look…in at
the 'handsome' game。 Issy； what do you do to your face？〃
〃Do to it？ What do you mean by do to it？〃
〃What do you do to it to make it look the way it does？ Don't tell
me it grew that way naturally。〃
〃Grew！ Course it grew！ What kind of talk's that？〃
〃Issy； with a face like yours how do you keep the birds away？〃
〃Eh？ Keep the birds away！ Now look here； just〃
〃Excuse me。 Did I say 'birds；' Issy？ I didn't mean birds like
like crows。 Of course a face like yours would keep the crows away
all right enough。 I meant girls。 How do you keep the girls away？
I should think they would be making love all the time。〃
〃Aw； you shut up！ Just 'cause you're Cap'n Lote's grandson I
presume likely you think you can talk any kind of talk； don't ye？〃
〃Not any kind； Is。 I can't talk like you。 Will you teach me？〃
〃Shut up！ Now； by Crimus； youyou furrineryou Speranzy〃
Mr。 Keeler appeared at the office window。 His shrill voice rose
pipingly in the wintry air as he demanded to know what was the
trouble out there。
Mr。 Price； still foaming； strode toward the window； Albert
laughingly followed him。
〃What's the matter？〃 repeated Laban。 〃There's enough noise for a
sewin' circle。 Be still； Is； can't you； for a minute。 Al； what's
the trouble？〃
〃Issy's been talking about his face；〃 explained Albert； soberly。
〃I ain't neither。 I was h'istin' up my end of a j'ist； same as I'm
paid to do； and； 'stead of helpin' he stands there and heaves out
talk aboutabout〃
〃Well； about what？〃
〃Aw； aboutabout me andand girlsand all sorts of dum
foolishness。 I tell ye； I've got somethin' else to do beside
listen to that kind of cheap talk。〃
〃Um。 Yes； yes。 I see。 Well； Al； what have you got to say？〃
〃Nothing。 I'm sure I don't know what it is all about。 I was
working as hard as I could and all at once he began pitching into
me。〃
〃Pitchin' into you？ How？〃
〃Oh； I don't know。 Something about my looks he didn't like； I
guess。 Wanted to know if I thought I was as handsome as he was； or
something like that。〃
〃Eh？ I never neither！ All I said was〃
Mr。 Keeler raised his hand。 〃Seems to be a case for an umpire；〃 he
observed。 〃Um。 Seem's if 'twas； seems so； seems so。 Well；
Captain Lote's just comin' across the road and； if you say the
word； I'll call him in to referee。 What do you say？〃
They said nothing relevant to the subject in hand。 Issachar made
the only remark。 〃Crimus…TEE！〃 he ejaculated。 〃Come on； Al； come
on。〃
The pair hurried away to resume lumber piling。 Laban smiled
slightly and closed the window。 It may be gathered from this
incident that when the captain was in charge of the deck there was
little idle persiflage among the 〃fo'mast hands。〃 They； like
others in South Harniss； did not presume to trifle with Captain
Lote Snow。
So the business education of Alberto Miguel Carlos Speranza
progressed。 At the end of the first six weeks in South Harniss he
had learned a little about bookkeeping； a little about selling
hardware； a little about measuring and marking lumber。 And it must
be admitted that that little had been acquired； not because of
vigorous application on the part of the pupil； but because； being
naturally quick and intelligent； he could not help learning
something。 He liked the work just as little as he had in the
beginning of his apprenticeship。 And； although he was forgetting
his thoughts of running away； of attempting fortune on his own
hook； he was just as rebellious as ever against a future to be
spent in that office and at that work。
Outside the office and the hateful bookkeeping he was beginning to
find several real interests。 At the old house which had for
generations been called 〃the Snow place；〃 he was beginning to feel
almost at home。 He and his grandmother were becoming close
friends。 She was not looking for trouble； she never sat for long
intervals gazing at him as if she were guessing； guessing； guessing
concerning him。 Captain Zelotes did that； but Olive did not。 She
had taken the boy； her 〃Janie's boy；〃 to her heart from the moment
she saw him and she mothered him and loved him in a way whichso
long as it was not done in publiccomforted his lonely soul。 They
had not yet reached the stage where he confided in her to any great
extent； but that was certain to come later。 It was his grandmother's
love and the affection he was already beginning to feel for her
which； during these first lonesome； miserable weeks； kept him from；
perhaps； turning the running away fantasy into a reality。
Another inmate of the Snow household with whom Albert was becoming
better acquainted with was Mrs。 Rachel Ellis。 Their real
acquaintanceship began one Sunday forenoon when Captain Zelotes and
Olive had gone to church。 Ordinarily he would have accompanied
them； to sit in the straight…backed old pew on a cushion which felt
lumpy and smelt ancient and musty； and pretend to listen while old
Mr。 Kendall preached a sermon which was ancient and musty likewise。
But this Sunday morning he awoke with a headache and his grandmother
had pleaded for him； declaring that he ought to 〃lay to bed〃 a while
and get over it。 He got over it with surprising quickness after the
church bell ceased ringing； and came downstairs to read Ivanhoe in
the sitting room。 He had read it several times before； but he
wanted to read something and the choice of volumes in the Snow
bookcase was limited。 He was stretched out on the sofa with the
book in his hand when the housekeeper entered； armed with a
dust…cloth。 She went to church only 〃every other〃 Sunday。 This
was one of the others without an every； and she was at home。
〃What are you readin'； Albert？〃 she asked； after a few' minutes
vigorous wielding of the dust…cloth。 〃It must be awful interestin'；
you stick at it so close。〃
The Black Knight was just then hammering with his battle…axe at the
gate of Front de Buef's castle； not minding the stones and beams
cast down upon him from above 〃no more than if they were thistle…
down or feathers。〃 Albert absently admitted that the story was
interesting。 The housekeeper repeated her request to be told its
name。
〃Ivanhoe；〃 replied the boy； adding； as the name did not seem to
convey any definite idea to his interrogator's mind： 〃It's by
Walter Scott； you know。〃
Mrs。 Ellis made no remark immediately。 When she did it was to the
effect that she used to know a colored man named Scott who worked
at the hotel once。 〃He swept out and carried trunks and such
things；〃 she explained。 〃He seemed to be a real nice sort of
colored man； far as ever I heard。〃
Albert was more interested in the Black Knight of Ivanhoe than the
black man of the hotel； so he went on reading。 Rachel sat down in
a chair by the window and looked out； twisting and untwisting the
dust…cloth in her lap。
〃I presume likely lots and lots of folks have read that book； ain't
they？〃 she asked； after another interval。
〃What？ Oh； yes； almost everybody。 It's a classic； I suppose。〃
〃What's that？〃
〃What's what？〃
〃What you said the book was。 A class…somethin' or other？〃
〃Oh； a classic。 Why； it'sit's something everybody knows about；
oror ought to know about。 One of the big things； you know。
Likelike Shakespeare oror Robinson Crusoe or Paradise Lost or
lots of them。 It's a book everybody reads and always will。〃
〃I see。 Humph！ Well； I never read it。 。 。 。 I presume likely you
think that's pretty funny； don't you？〃
Albert tore himself away from the fight at the gate。
〃Why； I don't know；〃 he replied。
〃Yes； you do。 You think it's awful funny。 Well； you wouldn't if
you knew more about how busy I've been all my life。 I ain't had
time to read the way I'd ought to。 I read a book once though that
I'll never forget。 Did you ever read a book called Foul Play？〃
〃No。 。 。 。 Why； hold on； though； I think I have。 By Charles
Reade； wasn't it？〃
〃Yes； that's who wrote it； a man named Charles Reade。 Laban told
me that part of it； he reads a lot； Laban does。 I never noticed
who wrote it； myself。 I was too interested in it to notice little
extry things like that。 But ain't that a WONDERFUL book？ Ain't
that the best book you ever read in all your LIFE？〃
She dropped the dust…cloth and was too excited and enthusiastic to
pick it up。 Albert did his best to recall something definite
concerning Foul Play。 The book had been in th