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Before I had time to collect my thoughts, we were startled by these words, coming from the same man that had asked the original question: "You had better not hesitate, for we have an idea who you are, and should it prove that we are correct, it will be the worse for you." "'Who do you think we are? I inquired." "'Horse thieves and moss-backs, was the reply."
She would not allow herself to stand in her lover's way. "The usual people are coming. It will be just our monthly gathering of neighbouring moss-backs," with a laugh. "The Turners, the Furrers Peter Furrers, of course; he still hopes to cut you out and the girls; old Gleichen and his two sons, Harry and Tim. And the Ganthorns from Rosebank and their cousins the Covills of Lakeville.
Hunter are those of the old set, what you would call the pick of the bunch, if you were one of us. They went there to live because they were tired of being moss-backs. Why don't you follow their example and go the whole hog? They and their girls have a ripping time." "At least they have not picked up your vocabulary. I seldom see the young people. And I have never been to the Club.
The moss-backs sit around and look wise, and expect to work miracles on a patient who doesn't know what they're doing and finally gets the impression that he isn't considered fit to know. Far be it from me to disparage the pioneers of our noble profession, but I'm modest enough to admit that I need help, and the best help, every time, comes from the patient himself."
I issued a circular eliminating this trash from the course of study, substituting the practical short cuts of modern business principles, and in this, also, I met with opposition from the "moss-backs," who insisted that what they had learned in the year one was good enough for their children; they wanted no "new-fangled" notions.
"Go on down and rusticate with your relatives for the summer, and fly the bats in your belfry at the old moss-backs, while I am getting this Cincinnati and Gulf Stations commission under way. Then, when I can, I will come for you. Let's don't discuss the matter, and it's time I took you back to your hotel." Not a very encouraging tilt for my maiden lance. I've had a thought.
West, whose thoughts had unconsciously run back to his last private talk with Plonny the talk about getting in line good-naturedly asked his friend if he was really lined up with the wire-pulling moss-backs who were fighting the reformatory bill. "You just watch me and see," said Plonny, with humorous reproachfulness. "No charge f'r lookin', and rain checks given in case of wet grounds."
One can well imagine the nightly pow-wow-ings in that primitive island world, when he called his comrades antiquated moss-backs, and they called him a fool, a freak, and a crank, and charged him with having come from Kansas. Heaven alone knows at what cost of grey hairs and expletives he must finally have succeeded in winning over a sufficient number to give his idea a trial.
Stood my first watch harbor-watch feelin' finer'n Farragut. Dan's full o' the same kind o' notions. See 'em now, actin' to be genewine moss-backs very hair a rope-yarn an' blood Stockholm tar." He spoke down the cabin stairs. "Guess you're mistook in your judgments fer once, Disko. What in Rome made ye tell us all here the kid was crazy?" "He wuz," Disko replied.
"You're the first seafarin' man I know of that left your own kind to take sides with a land-pirut." "You ain't seafarin' no more," retorted Mr. Butts, insolently. "Talk to me of bein' seafarin' with that crowd of jays you've got round you! You ain't northin' but moss-backs and bunko-men." Cap'n Sproul glanced over his shoulder at the men of Smyrna and groaned under his breath.
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