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Cap'n Aaron Sproul, first selectman, again played the role of the bear, as he had on occasions previous. They had stalked him; they had flanked him; they had surrounded him; they had driven him to centre; he was at bay, bristling with a sullen rage that was excusable, if viewed from the standpoint of an earnest town officer.
"Pass the word for the Bo'sun I say where's Bo'sun Jerry?" Immediately upon these words there came another roar surprisingly hoarse, deep, and near at hand. "Ay, ay, sir! here I be, Cap'n," the voice bellowed back.
The "cap'n," who may have left Sandhurst but six months, may be weakly good-natured, and ignore the fact that his income is not elastic; some day that he thinks of taking a run to England Ben Solomon, who seems to be able to read the books in the Adjutant-General's Office through the walls, pounces upon him with his little bill, and he is arrested if he cannot satisfy his Jewish benefactor.
Yet nobody had observed him at the railroad station and he had not called for the chest at the Boston express office. The chest! That was the apex of the mystery. Never in this world had Cap'n Abe intended to take the chest with him to sea or wherever else he had it in his mind to go.
"Wal, by and by she come out with her han'ker-chief to her eyes, and come on deck, and begun talk-in' to the cap'n and Mr. More, and a wishin' all kinds o' blessin's on their heads. "Wal, Tom Toothacre didn't say a word, good or bad; but he jest kep' a lookin' at her, watchin' her as a cat watches a mouse. Finally we up sail, and started with a fair breeze.
He would have fallen flat had he not grabbed the drapery at the doorway and saved himself by holding fast to it with both hands. Even then he rolled and twisted so awkwardly before he could get upon his legs that Trot had to laugh outright at his antics. "This hick'ry leg," said Cap'n Joe, "is so blamed light that it always wants to float.
"The dratted Portygee's gone off to Paulmouth. He left word that he couldn't sail with us this trip." "Then he'll never sail on the Seamew again," declared the skipper grimly. "And that won't bother him none," said the boatswain gloomily. "I'll get breakfast for all hands," said Tunis. "I'm not above that. Where are the hands?" "As far as I know, Cap'n Tunis, they are where Johnny Lark is.
But, anyhow, Matildy made a little call on me, and, amongst the million other things she said, was somethin' about Cap'n Jed hearin' that Mr. Colton was cal'latin' to shut off that Lane. Matildy hinted that her husband and the Selectmen might have a little to say afore 'twas closed. If that's so I guess you may hear from him as well as the Colton man, Roscoe." "Perhaps," I said.
Some half a dozen stewards were showing the passengers to their places at table, as they passed in through the doorways; and upon my entrance I was at once pounced upon by one of the aforesaid stewards, who, in semi-confidential tones, remarked: "This way, if you please, sir. It's Cap'n Dacre's orders that you was to be seated close alongside of him."
She returned in a few minutes, however, and whispered to Miranda that, "as Napoleon wa'n't jest what he'd ought to be anyway, mebbe they'd better make up." To which proposition Miranda assented gravely, holding the wrinkled, trembling old hand tenderly in hers. Cap'n 'Kiah felt it incumbent upon him to lead the conversation, being modestly conscious of his social gifts.
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