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And the best of it is, they don't seem to know it, and wouldn't believe it if you told them." Ralph nodded emphatically. "I imagine it would take a good deal to convince Davis or any of these station men that there was anything heroic in their lives," he said. "As for Captain Eri, I have known him only a month or two, but I don't know of anyone to whom I would rather go if I were in trouble."
Nobody spoke for a moment after the reading of this intensely practical note. Captain Eri whistled softly, scratched his head, and then read the letter over again to himself. At length Captain Perez broke the spell. "Jerusalem!" he exclaimed. "She don't lose no time, does she?" "She's pretty prompt, that's a fact," assented Captain Eri.
She'll have you yit; you can't git away! But say, I don't wonder you got to thinkin' 'bout the grave. Ten minutes of M'lissy gits me thinkin' of things way t'other side of that!" "Aw, belay there, Eri" protested Captain Perez testily. "'Twan't my fault. I didn't see her comin' or I'd have got out of sight.
They heard footsteps in the next room, the door opened, and in came not Luther Davis, but Captain Perez. "Why, Eri!" he exclaimed amazedly. "For the land's sake, Perez! What are you doin' here?" "What are YOU doin' here, I should say. How d'you do, Mr. Hazeltine?" Captain Eri pushed back his "sou'wester," and strolled over to the stove. Ralph followed suit.
Langworthy, the Baptist minister and, although two to one was a clear majority, Captain Eri asserted that there was nothing like a unanimous vote, and so they decided to call upon the reverend gentleman. They found him at home, and Elsie was surprised, after the previous interview, to see how differently her champion handled the case. There was no preliminary parley and no beating about the bush.
Just then they heard Captain Eri calling them. The Captain was standing on a sand dune near the station, shouting their names through a speaking trumpet formed by placing his hands about his mouth. As the pair came strolling toward him, he shifted his hands to his trousers pockets and stood watching the young couple with a sort of half smile.
Then Captain Jerry said moodily: "It ain't no use. It don't work." "What don't work?" asked Captain Eri. "Why, this plan of ours. I thought when we fellers give up goin' to sea reg'lar and settled down here to keep house ourselves and live economical and all that, that 'twas goin' to be fine.
Daniel thumped the side of his stall and then subsided for another nap. The gray morning light brightened the window of the little house. Then Captain Eri slid silently out of bed, dressed with elaborate precautions against noise, put on his cap, and tiptoed out of the house. He walked through the dripping grass, climbed the back fence and hurried to the hill where John Baxter had fallen.
The weather-beaten old face grew calmer, and, the sleep sounder, until the tide went out that was all. It was like a peaceful coming into port after a rough voyage. No one of the watchers about the bed could wish him back, not even Elsie, who was calm and brave through it all. When it was over, she went to her room and Mrs. Snow went with her. Captain Eri went out to make his call upon Mr.
Captain Eri scratched a match and by its light climbed the stairs. His friend's room was empty. The lamp was burning on the bureau and a Bible was open beside it. The bed had not been slept in. Thoroughly alarmed now, the Captain, lamp in hand, went through one room after the other. John Baxter was not at home, and he was not with the crowd at the fire. Where was he?
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