family so far that's done the objectin'。 。 。 。 Your cigar's gone
out。 Have another light； won't you？〃
The visitor shook his head。 〃No； thank you； not now；〃 he said
hastily； placing the defunct cigar carefully on the captain's desk。
〃I won't smoke for the minute。 So you want me to begin the
talking； do you？ It seems to me I have begun it。 I told you that
I do not like the idea of my daughter's being engaged toto say
nothing of marryingyour grandson。 My wife likes it even less
than I do。 That is enough of a statement to begin with； isn't it？〃
〃Why； no； not exactly； if you'll excuse my sayin' so。 Your
daughter herselfhow does she feel about it？〃
〃Oh； she is enthusiastic； naturally。 She appears to be suffering
from temporary insanity on the subject。〃
〃She don't seem to think it's quite aserpreposterous； and
ridiculous and outrageousand Lord knows what allas your wife
does； eh？〃
〃No。 I say； Snow； I hope you're not too deeply offended by what
my wife wrote you。 I judge you are quoting from her letter and
apparently she piled it on red…hot。 You'll have to excuse her； she
was almost wild all day yesterday。 I'll ask your pardon on her
behalf。〃
〃Sho； sho！ No need； Mr。 Fosdick； no need at all。 I know what
women are； even the easy…goin' kind； when they've got steam up。
I've got a wifeand I had a daughter。 But； gettin' back on the
course again； you think your daughter's crazy because she wants to
marry my grandson。 Is that it？〃
〃Why； no； I wouldn't say that； exactly。 Of course； I wouldn't say
that。〃
〃But； you see； you did say it。 However； we'll leave that to one
side for a spell。 What objectionwhat real objection is there to
those two marryin'my grandson and your daughterprovided that
they care for each other as they'd ought to？〃
Mr。 Fosdick's expression changed slightly。 His tone； as he replied
to the question； was colder and his manner less cordial。
〃I don't know that it is worth while answering that in detail；〃 he
said； after an instant's pause。 〃Frankly； Captain Snow； I had
rather hoped you would see； for yourself； the reasons why such a
marriage wouldn't be desirable。 If you don't see them； if you are
backing up your grandson in his business； whywell； there is no
use in our discussing the matter any further； is there？ We should
only lose our tempers and not gain much。 So we had better end it
now； I think。〃
He rose to his feet。 Captain Zelotes； leaning forward； held up a
protesting hand。
〃Nownow； Mr。 Fosdick；〃 he said earnestly； 〃I don't want you to
misunderstand me。 And I'm sorry if what I said has made you mad。〃
Fosdick smiled。 〃Oh； I'm not mad；〃 he answered cheerfully。 〃I
make it a rule in all my business dealings not to get mad； or； more
especially； not to let the other fellow know that I'm getting that
way。 My temper hasn't a ruffle in it just now； and I am leaving
merely because I want it to remain smooth。 I judge that you and I
aren't going to agree。 All right； then we'll differ； but we'll
differ without a fight； that's all。 Good afternoon； Captain。〃
But Captain Lote's hand still remained uplifted。
〃Mr。 Fosdick；〃 he said。 〃just a minute nowjust a minute。 You
never have met Albert； my grandson； have you？ Never even seen him；
maybe？〃
〃No； but I intend to meet him and talk with him before I leave
South Harniss。 He was one of the two people I came here to meet。〃
〃And I was the other； eh？ Um…hm。 。 。 。 I see。 You think you've
found out where I stand and now you'll size him up。 Honest； Mr。
Fosdick； I 。 。 。 Humph！ Mind if I tell you a little story？
'Twon't take long。 When I was a little shaver； me and my granddad；
the first Cap'n Lote Snowthere's been two sincewere great
chums。 When he was home from sea he and I stuck together like hot
pitch and oakum。 One day we were sittin' out in the front yard of
his houseit's mine； nowwatchin' a hoptoad catch flies。 You've
seen a toad catch flies； haven't you； Mr。 Fosdick？ Mr。 Toad sits
there； lookin' half asleep and as pious and demure as a pickpocket
at camp…meetin'； until a fly comes along and gets too near。 Then；
Zip！ out shoots about six inches of toad tongue and that fly's been
asked in to dinner。 Well； granddad and I sat lookin' at our
particular toad when along came a bumble…bee and lighted on a
honeysuckle blossom right in front of the critter。 The toad didn't
take time to think it over； all he saw was a square meal； and his
tongue flashed out and nailed that bumble…bee and snapped it into
the pantry。 In about a half second； though； there was a change。
The pantry had been emptied； the bumble…bee was on his way again；
and Mr。 Toad was on his； hoppin' lively and huntin' forwell； for
ice water or somethin' coolin'； I guess likely。 Granddad tapped me
on the shoulder。 'Sonny；' says he； 'there's a lesson for you。
That hoptoad didn't wait to make sure that bumble…bee was good to
eat； he took it for granted； and was sorry afterward。 It don't pay
to jump at conclusions； son；' he says。 'Some conclusions are like
that bumble…bee's； they have stings in 'em。'〃
Captain Lote； having finished his story； felt in his pocket for
a match。 Fosdick； for an instant； appeared puzzled。 Then he
laughed。
〃I see；〃 he said。 〃You think I made too quick a jump when I
concluded you were backing your grandson in this affair。 All
right； I'm glad to hear it。 What do you want me to do； sit down
again and listen？〃
He resumed his seat as he asked the question。 Captain Zelotes
nodded。
〃If you don't mind；〃 he answered。 〃You see； you misunderstood me；
Mr。 Fosdick。 I didn't mean any more than what I said when I asked
you what real objection there was； in your opinion to Albert's
marryin' yourerMadeline； that's her name； I believe。 Seems to
me the way for us to get to an understandin'you and Iis to find
out just how the situation looks to each of us。 When we've found
out that； we'll know how nigh we come to agreein' or disagreein'
and can act accordin'。 Sounds reasonable； don't it？〃
Fosdick nodded in his turn。 〃Perfectly；〃 he admitted。 〃Well； ask
your questions； and I'll answer them。 After that perhaps I'll ask
some myself。 Go ahead。〃
〃I have gone ahead。 I've asked one already。〃
〃Yes； but it is such a general question。 There may be so many
objections。〃
〃I see。 All right； then I'll ask some： What do the lawyers call
'em？Atlantic？ Pacific？ I've got itI'll ask some specific
questions。 Here's one。 Do you object to Al personally？ To his
character？〃
〃Not at all。 We know nothing about his character。 Very likely he
may be a young saint。〃
〃Well； he ain't； so we'll let that slide。 He's a good boy； though；
so far as I've ever been able to find out。 Is it his looks？
You've never seen him； but your wife has。 Don't she like his
looks？〃
〃She hasn't mentioned his looks to me。〃
〃Is it his money？ He hasn't got any of his own。〃
〃We…ell； of course that does count a little bit。 Madeline is our
only child； and naturally we should prefer to have her pick out a
husband with a dollar or so in reserve。〃
〃Um…hm。 Al's twenty…one； Mr。 Fosdick。 When I was twenty…one I had
some put by； but not much。 I presume likely 'twas different with
you； maybe。 Probably you were pretty well fixed。〃
Fosdick laughed aloud。 〃You make a good cross…examiner； Snow；〃 he
observed。 〃As a matter of fact； when I was twenty…one I was
assistant bookkeeper in a New Haven broker's office。 I didn't have
a cent except my salary； and I had that only for the first five
days in the week。〃
〃However； you got married？〃
〃Yes； I did。 More fool I！ If I had known anything； I should have
waited five years at least。 I didn't have any one to tell me so。
My father and mother were both dead。〃
〃Think you'd have listened to 'em if they had been alive and had
told you？ However； however； that's all to one side。 Well；
Albert's havin' no money to speak of is an objectionand a good
honest one from your point of view。 His prospects here in this
business of mine are fair； and he is doin' better at it than he
was； so he may make a comf'table livin'a comf'table South Harniss
livin'； that isby and by。〃
〃Oh； he is with you； then？ Oh； yes； I remember my wife said he
worked in your office。 But she said more about his being some sort
of aa poet； wasn't it？〃
For the first time since the interview began the captain looked ill
at ease and embarrassed。
〃Thunderation！〃 he exclaimed testily； 〃you mustn't pay attention to
that。 He does make up poetry' pieceseron the side； as you
might say； but I keep hopin' all the time he'll grow out of it；
give him time。 It 'ain't his regular job； you mustn't think 'tis。〃
The visitor laughed again。 〃I'm glad of that；〃 he said； 〃both for
your sake and mine。 I judge that you and I； Snow； are in complete
agreement as far as our opinion of poetry and that sort of stuff is
concerned。 Of course I'm not condemning all poetry； you understand。
Longfellow and Tennyson and the regular poets are all right。 You
understand what I'm getting at？〃
〃Sartin。 I used to know 'Down went the R'yal George with all her
crew complete；' and a lot more。 Used to say 'em over to myself
when I first went to sea and stood watch alone nights。 But they
were different； you know； theythey〃
〃Sure！ My wifewhy； I give you my word that my own wife and her
set go perfectly daffy over chaps who write stuff that rhymes and
that the papers are printing columns about。 Snow； if this grandson
of yours was a genuine press…touted； women's club poet instead of a
would…bewell； I don't know what might happen。 In that case she
might be as strong FOR this engagement as she is now against it。〃
He paused； seeming a bit ashamed of his own heat。 Captain Zelotes；
however； regarded him with more approval than he had yet shown。
〃It's been my observation that women are likely to get off the
course chasin' false signals like that；〃 he observed。 〃When a man
begins lettin' his hair and his mouth run wild together seems as if
the combination had an attraction for a good many women folks。 Al
keeps his hair cut； though； I'll say that for him；〃 he added。 〃It
curls some； but it ain't long。 I wouldn't have