household walked on tiptoe； as if the housekeeper were an invalid
in reality。 Even consoling speeches from Albert； who with Laban
when the latter was sober； enjoyed in her mind the distinction of
being the reincarnation of 〃Robert Penfold；〃 brought no relief to
the suffering Rachel。 Nothing but the news brought by the milkman；
that 〃Labe was taperin' off；〃 and would probably return to his desk
in a few days； eased her pain。
One forenoon about the middle of the month Captain Zelotes himself
stopped in at the post office for the morning mail。 When he
returned to the lumber company's building he entered quietly and
walked to his own desk with a preoccupied air。 For the half hour
before dinner time he sat there； smoking his pipe； and speaking to
no one unless spoken to。 The office force noticed his preoccupation
and commented upon it。
〃What ails the old man； Al？〃 whispered Issachar； peering in around
the corner of the door at the silent figure tilted back in the
revolving chair； its feet upon the corner of the desk。 〃Ain't said
so much as 'Boo' for up'ards of twenty minutes； has he？ I was in
there just now fillin' up his ink…stand and； by crimus； I let a
great big gob of ink come down ker…souse right in the middle of the
nice； clean blottin' paper in front of him。 I held my breath；
cal'latin' to catch what Stephen Peter used to say he caught when
he went fishin' Sundays。 Stevey said he generally caught cold when
he went and always caught the Old Harry when he got back。 I
cal'lated to catch the Old Harry part sure； 'cause Captain Lote is
always neat and fussy 'bout his desk。 But no； the old man never
said a word。 I don't believe he knew the ink was spilled at all。
What's on his mind； Al； do you know？〃
Albert did not know； so he asked Laban。 Laban shook his head。
〃Give it up； Al；〃 he whispered。 〃Somethin's happened to bother
him； that's sartin'。 When Cap'n Lote gets his feet propped up and
his head tilted back that way I can 'most generally cal'late he's
doin' some real thinkin'。 Real thinkin'yes； sir…eeum…hmyes
yes。 When he h'ists his boots up to the masthead that way it's
safe to figger his brains have got steam up。 Um…hmyes indeed。〃
〃But what is he thinking about？ And why is he so quiet？〃
〃I give up both riddles； Al。 He's the only one's got the answers
and when he gets ready enough maybe he'll tell 'em。 Until then
it'll pay us fo'mast hands to make believe we're busy； even if we
ain't。 Hear that； do you； Is？〃
〃Hear what？〃 demanded Issachar； who was gazing out of the window；
his hands in his pockets。
〃I say it will pay usyou and Al and meto make believe we're
workin' even if we ain't。〃
〃'Workin'！〃 indignantly。 〃By crimus； I AM workin'！ I don't have to
make believe。〃
〃That so？ Well； then； I'd pick up that coal…hod and make believe
play for a spell。 The fire's 'most out。 Almostum…hmpretty
nighyesyes。〃
Albert and his grandfather walked home to dinner together； as was
their custom； but still the captain remained silent。 During dinner
he spoke not more than a dozen words and Albert several times
caught Mrs。 Snow regarding her husband intently and with a rather
anxious look。 She did not question him； however； but Rachel was
not so reticent。
〃Mercy on us； Cap'n Lote；〃 she demanded； 〃what IS the matter？
You're as dumb as a mouthful of mush。 I don't believe you've said
ay； yes or no since we sat down to table。 Are you sick？〃
Her employer's calm was unruffled。
〃No…o；〃 he answered； with deliberation。
〃That's a comfort。 What's the matter； then； don't you WANT to
talk？〃
〃No…o。〃
〃Oh；〃 with a toss of the head； 〃well； I'm glad I know。 I was
beginnin' to be afraid you'd forgotten how。〃
The captain helped himself to another fried 〃tinker〃 mackerel。
〃No danger of that around here； Rachel；〃 he said serenely。 〃So
long as my hearin's good I couldn't forgetnot in this house。〃
Olive detained her grandson as he was following Captain Zelotes
from the dining room。
〃What's wrong with him； Albert？〃 she whispered。 〃Do you know？〃
〃No； I don't； Grandmother。 Do you think there is anything wrong？〃
〃I know there's somethin' troublin' him。 I've lived with him too
many years not to know the signs。 Oh； Albertyou haven't done
anything to displease him； have you？〃
〃No； indeed； Grandmother。 Whatever it is； it isn't that。〃
When they reached the office； the captain spoke to Mr。 Keeler。
〃Had your dinner； Labe？〃 he asked。
〃Yesyes； indeed。 Don't take me long to eatnot at my boardin'
house。 A feller'd have to have paralysis to make eatin' one of
Lindy Dadgett's meals take more'n a half hour。 Um…hmyes。〃
Despite his preoccupation； Captain Zelotes could not help smiling。
〃To make it take an hour he'd have to be ossified； wouldn't he；
like the feller in the circus sideshow？〃 he observed。
Laban nodded。 〃Thator dead；〃 he replied。 〃Yesjust aboutjust
so； Cap'n。〃
〃Where's Issachar？〃
〃He's eatin' yet； I cal'late。 He don't board at Lindy's。〃
〃When he gets back set him to pilin' that new carload of spruce
under Number Three shed。 Keep him at it。〃
〃Yes； sir。 Um…hm。 All right。〃
Captain Zelotes turned to his grandson。 〃Come in here； Al；〃 he
said。 〃I want to see you for a few minutes。〃
Albert followed him into the inner office。 He wondered what in the
world his grandfather wished to see him about； in this very private
fashion。
〃Sit down； Al；〃 said the captain； taking his own chair and pointing
to another。 〃Oh； wait a minute； though！ Maybe you'd better shut
that hatch first。〃
The 〃hatch〃 was the transom over the door between the offices。
Albert； remembering how a previous interview between them had been
overheard because of that open transom； glanced at his grandfather。
The twinkle in the latter's eye showed that he too； remembered。
Albert closed the 〃hatch。〃 When he came back to his seat the
twinkle had disappeared； Captain Zelotes looked serious enough。
〃Well； Grandfather？〃 queried the young man； after waiting a moment。
The captain adjusted his spectacles； reached into the inside pocket
of his coat and produced an envelope。 It was a square envelope
with either a trade…mark or a crest upon the back。 Captain Lote
did not open the envelope； but instead tapped his desk with it and
regarded his grandson in a meditative way。
〃Al；〃 he said slowly； 〃has it seemed to you that your cruise aboard
this craft of ours here had been a little smoother the last year or
two than it used to be afore that？〃
Albert； by this time well accustomed to his grandfather's nautical
phraseology； understood that the 〃cruise〃 referred to was his
voyage as assistant bookkeeper with Z。 Snow and Co。 He nodded。
〃I have tried to make it so；〃 he answered。 〃I mean I have tried to
make it smoother for you。〃
〃Um…hm； I think you have tried。 I don't mind tellin' you that it
has pleased me consid'ble to watch you try。 I don't mean by that；〃
he added； with a slight curve of the lip； 〃that you'd win first
prize as a lightnin'…calculator even yet； but you're a whole lot
better one than you used to be。 I've been considerable encouraged
about you； I don't mind tellin' you that either。 。 。 。 And；〃 he
added； after another interval during which he was； apparently；
debating just how much of an admission it was safe to make； 〃so far
as I can see； this poetry foolishness of yours hasn't interfered
with your work any to speak of。〃
Albert smiled。 〃Thanks； Grandfather；〃 he said。
〃You're welcome。 So much for that。 But there's another side to
our relations together； yours and mine； that I haven't spoken of to
you afore。 And I have kept still on purpose。 I've figgered that
so long as you kept straight and didn't go off the course； didn't
drink or gamble； or go wild or the like of that； what you did was
pretty much your own business。 I've noticed you're considerable of
a feller with the girls； but I kept an eye on the kind of girls and
I will say that so far as I can see； you've picked the decent kind。
I say so far as I can see。 Of course I ain't fool enough to
believe I see all you do； or know all you do。 I've been young
myself； and when I get to thinkin' how much I know about you I try
to set down and remember how much my dad didn't know about me when
I was your age。 Thaterhelps some toward givin' me my correct
position on the chart。〃
He paused。 Albert's brain was vainly striving to guess what all
this meant。 What was he driving at？ The captain crossed his legs
and continued。
〃I did think for a spell；〃 he said； 〃that you and Helen Kendall were
gettin' to understand each other pretty well。 Well； Helen's a good
girl and your grandma and I like her。 Course we didn't cal'late
anything very serious was liable to come of the understandin'； not
for some time； anyhow； for with your salary andwell； sort of
unsettled prospects； I gave you credit for not figgerin' on pickin'
a wife right away。 。 。 。 Haven't got much laid by to support a wife
on； have you； Al？〃
Albert's expression had changed during the latter portion of the
speech。 Now he was gazing intently at his grandfather and at the
letter in the latter's hands。 He was beginning to guess； to dread；
to be fearful。
〃Haven't got much to support a wife on； Al； have you？〃 repeated
Captain Zelotes。
〃No； sir； not now。〃
〃Um。 。 。 。 But you hope to have by and by； eh？ Well； I hope you
will。 But UNTIL you have it would seem to older folks like me kind
of risky navigatin' toto 。 。 。 Oh； there was a letter in the
mail for you this mornin； Al。〃
He put down the envelope he had hitherto held in his hand and；
reaching into his pocket； produced another。 Even before he had
taken it from his grandfather's hand Albert recognized the
handwriting。 It was from Madeline。
Captain Zelotes； regarding him keenly； leaned back again in his
chair。 〃Read it if you want to； Al；〃 he said。 〃Maybe you'd
better。 I can wait。〃
Albert hesitated a moment and then tore open the envelope。 The
note within was short； evidently written in great haste and
agitation and was spotted with tear stains。 He read it； his cheeks
paling and his hand shaking as he did so。 Something dreadful had
happened。 Moth