Part 20 (1/2)
Horble was plainly ill at ease His face turned a deeper red He was on the edge of blurting out a disagreeable re an inarticulate sound in his throat Like everybody else, he was afraid of the labor captain
”Crew's ashore, too,” said Gregory, glancing about the empty deck
”There ain't no crew,” ory ”Do you do it with electricity, or what?”
”Me and Madge runs her,” returned Horble
”Do you mean to say she pully-hauls your daory
”Yes,” said Horble ”What's twenty tons between the two of us?”
”And cooks?” said Gregory
”And cooks,” said Horble
”You don't believe in lapping your wife in luxury!” exclaie and I talked it over,” said Horble ”I was for trading ashore, but her heart was set on the schooner I can ain”
”I know she can sail a boat against anybody,” said Gregory, wincing at the re His fat, broad back said, plainer than words: ”You're an intruder! Get out!”
”I believe she's aboard this very e smile
”She's ashore, I tell you,” said Horble sullenly
”I'll just run below and ory
He slipped down the little companion way, looked about the empty cabin and peered into the see!” he cried ”Madge!”
Horble had not lied to him There was not a soul below But on the cabin table he saw Madge's sewing machine and a half-made dress of cotton print She had always been fond of books, and there, in the corner, was her little bookcase, taken bodily from her old home in Nonootch
Scattered about here and there were other things that brought her memory painfully back to him; that hurt him with their familiarity; that caused hi wonder: her guitar, her worn, lock-fast desk; the old gilt photograph album he remembered so well He sat down at the table and buried his face in his hands What a fool he had been! What a fool he had been!
He was roused by the sound of Horble's footsteps down the ladder With his head leaning on his hand, he looked at the big naked feet feeling for the steps, then at the uncouth clothes as they gradually appeared, then at the fat, weak, frightened face of the ht of hirit to order hi out the gin--a bottle of square-face and two glasses
”Say when,” said Horble
”When,” said Gregory