pick it up。 Albert did his best to recall something definite
concerning Foul Play。 The book had been in the school library and
he； who read almost everything； had read it along with the others。
〃Let me see；〃 he said musingly。 〃About a shipwrecksomething
about a shipwreck in it； wasn't there？〃
〃I should say there was！ My stars above！ Not the common kind of
shipwreck； neither； the kind they have down to Setuckit P'int on
the shoals。 No sir…ee！ This one was sunk on purpose。 That Joe
Wylie bored holes right down through her with a gimlet； the wicked
thing！ And that set 'em afloat right out on the sea in a boat； and
there wan't anything to eat till Robert Penfoldoh； HE was the
smart one； he'd find anything； that man！he found the barnacles on
the bottom of the boat； just the same as he found out how to
diffuse intelligence tied onto a duck's leg over land knows how
many legsleagues； I meanof ocean。 But that come later。 Don't
you remember THAT？〃
Albert laughed。 The story was beginning to come back to him。
〃Oh； sure！〃 he exclaimed。 〃I remember now。 Hethe Penfold
fellowand the girl landed on this island and had all sorts of
adventures； and fell in love and all that sort of stuff； and then
her dad came and took her back to England and sheshe did
something or other there toto get the Penfold guy out of
trouble。〃
〃Did somethin'！ I should say she did！ Why； she found out all
about who forged the letterthe note； I meanthat's what she
done。 'Twas Arthur Wardlaw； that's who 'twas。 And he was tryin'
to get Helen all the time for himself； the skinner！ Don't talk to
me about that Arthur Wardlaw！ I never could bear HIM。〃
She spoke as if she had known the detested Wardlaw intimately from
childhood。 Young Speranza was hugely amused。 Ivanhoe was quite
forgotten。
〃Foul Play was great stuff；〃 he observed。 〃When did you read it？〃
〃Eh？ When？ Oh； ever and ever so long ago。 When I was about
twenty； I guess； and laid up with the measles。 That's the only
time I ever was real what you might call down sick in my life； and
I commenced with measles。 That's the way a good many folks
commence； I know； but they don't generally wait till they're out of
their 'teens afore they start。 I was workin' for Mrs。 Philander
Bassett at the time； and she says to me： 'Rachel；' she says；
'you're on the mendin' hand now； wouldn't you like a book to read？'
I says； 'Why； maybe I would。' And she fetched up three of 'em。 I
can see 'em now； all three； plain as day。 One was Barriers Burned
Away。 She said that was somethin' about a big fire。 Well； I'm
awful nervous about fires； have been from a child； so I didn't read
that。 And another had the queerest kind of a name； if you'd call
it a name at all； 'twas She。〃
Albert nodded。
〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃I've read that。〃
〃Have you？ Well； I begun to； but my stars； THAT wasn't any book to
give to a person with nerve symptoms。 I got as far as where those
Indians or whatever they was started to put red…hot kettles on
folks's heads； and that was enough for ME。 'Give me somethin'
civilized；' says I； 'or not at all。' So I commenced Foul Play； and
I tell you I kept right on to the end。
〃I don't suppose；〃 she went on； 〃that there ever was a much better
book than that wrote； was there？〃
Albert temporized。 〃It is a good one；〃 he admitted。
〃Don't seem to me there could be much better。 Laban says it's
good； though he won't go so far as to say it's the very best。 He's
read lots and lots of books； Laban has。 Reads an awful lot in his
spare time。 He's what you'd call an educated person； which is what
I ain't。 And I guess you'll say that last is plain enough without
bein' told；〃 she added。
Her companion； not exactly knowing how to answer； was silent for a
moment。 Rachel； who had picked up and was again twisting the dust…
cloth； returned to the subject she so delighted in。
〃But that Foul Play book；〃 she continued； 〃I've read till I've
pretty nigh wore the covers off。 When Mrs。 Bassett saw how much I
liked it she gave it to me for a present。 I read a little bit in
it every little while。 I kind of fit the folks in that book to
folks in real life； sort of compare 'em； you know。 Do you ever do
that？〃
Albert； repressing a chuckle； said； 〃Sure！〃 again。 She nodded。
〃Now there's General Rolleson in that book；〃 she said。 〃Do you
know who he makes me think of？ Cap'n Lote； your grandpa； that's
who。〃
General Rolleson； as Albert remembered him； was an extremely
dignified； cultured and precise old gentleman。 Just what
resemblance there might be between him and Captain Zelotes Snow；
ex…skipper of the Olive S。； he could not imagine。 He could not
repress a grin； and the housekeeper noticed it。
〃Seems funny to you； I presume likely；〃 she said。 〃Well； now you
think about it。 This General Rolleson man was kind of proud and
sot in his ways just as your grandpa is； Albert。 He had a daughter
he thought all the world of； so did Cap'n Lote。 Along come a
person that wanted to marry the daughter。 In the book 'twas Robert
Penfold； who had been a convict。 In your grandpa's case； 'twas
your pa； who had been a play…actor。 So you see〃
Albert sat up on the sofa。 〃Hold on！〃 he interrupted indignantly。
〃Do you mean to compare my father with awith a CONVICT？ I want
you to understand〃
Mrs。 Ellis held up the dust…cloth。 〃Now； now； now；〃 she protested。
〃Don't go puttin' words in my mouth that I didn't say。 I don't
doubt your pa was a nice man； in his way； though I never met him。
But 'twan't Cap'n Lote's way any more than Robert Penfold's was
General Rolleson's。〃
〃My father was famous；〃 declared the youth hotly。 〃He was one of
the most famous singers in this country。 Everybody knows that
that is； everybody but Grandfather and the gang down here；〃 he
added； in disgust。
〃I don't say you're wrong。 Laban tells me that some of those
singin' folks get awful high wages； more than the cap'n of a
steamboat； he says； though that seems like stretchin' it to me。
But； as I say； Cap'n Lote was proud； and nobody but the best would
satisfy him for Janie； your mother。 Well； in that way； you see； he
reminds me of General Rolleson in the book。〃
〃Look here； Mrs。 Ellis。 Tell me about this business of Dad's
marrying my mother。 I never knew much of anything about it。〃
〃You didn't？ Did your pa never tell you？〃
〃No。〃
〃Humph！ That's funny。 Still； I don't know's as 'twas； after all；
considerin' you was only a boy。 Probably he'd have told you some
day。 Well； I don't suppose there's any secret about it。 'Twas
town talk down here when it happened。〃
She told him the story of the runaway marriage。 Albert listened
with interest and the almost incredulous amazement with which the
young always receive tales of their parents' love affairs。 Love；
for people of his age or a trifle older； was a natural and
understandable thing； but for his father； as he remembered him； to
have behaved in this way was incomprehensible。
〃So；〃 said Rachel； in conclusion； 〃that's how it happened。 That's
why Cap'n Lote couldn't ever forgive your father。〃
He tossed his head。 〃Well； he ought to have forgiven him；〃 he
declared。 〃He was dead lucky to get such a man for a son…in…law；
if you ask me。〃
〃He didn't think so。 And he wouldn't ever mention your pa's name。〃
〃Oh； I don't doubt that。 Anybody can see how he hated Father。 And
he hates me the same way；〃 he added moodily。
Mrs。 Ellis was much disturbed。 〃Oh； no； he don't；〃 she cried。
〃You mustn't think that； Albert。 He don't hate you； I'm sure of
it。 He's just kind of doubtful about you； that's all。 He
remembers how your pa actedor how he thinks he actedand so he
can't help bein' the least mite afraid the same thing may crop out
in you。 If you just stick to your job over there at the lumber
yards and keep on tryin' to please him； he'll get all over that
suspicion； see if he don't。 Cap'n Lote Snow is stubborn sometimes
and hard to turn； but he's square as a brick。 There's some that
don't like him； and a good many that don't agree with himbut
everybody respects him。〃
Albert did not answer。 The housekeeper rose from her chair。
〃There！〃 she exclaimed。 〃I don't know when I've set down for so
long。 Goodness knows I've got work enough to do without settin'
around talkin'。 I can't think what possessed me to do it this
time； unless 'twas seein' you readin' that book。〃 She paused a
moment and then said： 〃Albert； II don't want you and your
grandpa to have any quarrels。 You seewell； you see； I used to
know your mother real well； andand I thought an awful sight of
her。 I wishI do wish when you and the cap'n have any trouble or
anything； or when you think you're liable to have any； you'd come
and talk it over with me。 I'm like the feller that Laban tells
about in his dog…fight yarn。 This feller was watchin' the fight
and when they asked him to stop it afore one or t'other of the dogs
was killed； he just shook his head。 'No…o；' he says； kind of slow
and moderate； 'I guess I shan't interfere。 One of 'em's been
stealin' my chickens and the other one bit me。 I'm a friend to
both parties；' he says。 Course I don't mean it exactly that way；〃
she added； with a smile； 〃but you know what I do mean； I guess。
WILL you talk things over with me sometimes； Albert？〃
His answer was not very enthusiastic； but he said he guessed so；
and Rachel seemed satisfied with that。 She went on with her
dusting； and he with his reading； but the conversation was the
first of many between the pair。 The housekeeper appeared to
consider his having read her beloved Foul Play a sort of password
admitting him to her lodge and that thereafter they were； in
consequence； to be confidants and comrades。 She never hesitated to
ask him the most personal questions concerning his work； his plans；
the friends or acquaintances he was making in the village。 Some of
those questions he answered honestly and fully； some he dodged；
some he did not answer at all。 Mrs。 Ellis never resented his not
answering。 〃I presume likely that ain't any of my business； is
it？〃 she would say； and ask about something else。
On the other hand； she was perfectly out