Part 16 (1/2)
”Yes.”
”Good! And, remember, you are appointed to this job this minute if you want it. Or you may take it at any time during the week; don't bother to speak to me first. Fifteen hundred a year, live with Cahoon or whoever you like, precious little to do except be generally responsible for the Fair Harbor--oh, how I hate that syrupy, sentimental name!--financially and in a business way.... Easy berth, as you sailors would say, eh? Ha, ha!... Well, good day, Cap'n. Can you find your way out? If not call that eternally-lost woman of mine and she'll pilot you.... Ah....
yes.... And just hand me that water gla.s.s once more.... Thanks.... I shall hope to hear you've accepted next time I see you. We'll talk details and sign papers then, eh?... Oh, yes, we will. You won't be fool enough to refuse. Easy berth, you know, Kendrick. And don't forget Egbert; eh? Ha, ha.... Umph--ah, yes.... Where's that d.a.m.ned housekeeper?”
Mike Callahan asked no questions as he drove his pa.s.senger back to the General Minot place--no direct questions, that is--but it was quite evident that his curiosity concerning the reasons for Captain Kendrick's visit was intense.
”Well, the ould judge seen you at last, Cap'n,” he observed.
”Yes.”
”I expect 'twas a great satisfaction to him, eh?”
”Maybe so. Looks as if it was smurrin' up for rain over to the west'ard, doesn't it?”
Mr. Callahan delivered his pa.s.senger at the Minot back door and departed, looking grumpy. Then Mr. Cahoon took his turn.
”Well, Cap'n Sears,” he said, eagerly, ”you seen him.”
”Yes, Judah, I saw him.”
”Um-hm. Pretty glad to see you, too, wan't he?”
”I hope so.”
”Creepin' prophets, don't you _know_ so? Ain't he been sendin' word by Emmeline Tidditt that he wanted to see you more'n a million times?”
”Guess not. So far as I know he only wanted to see me once.”
”No, no, no. You know what I mean, Cap'n Sears.... Well--er--er--you seen him, anyway?”
”Yes, I saw him.”
”Um-hm ... so you said.”
”Yes, I thought I did.”
”Oh, you did--yes, you did.... Um-hm--er--yes.”
So Judah, too, was obliged to do without authentic information concerning Judge Knowles's reason for wis.h.i.+ng to meet Sears Kendrick. He hinted as far as he dared, but experience gained through years of sea acquaintances.h.i.+p with his former commander prevented his doing more than hint. The captain would tell just exactly what he wished and no more, Judah knew. He knew also that attempting to learn more than that was likely to be unpleasant as well as unprofitable. It was true that his beloved ”Cap'n Sears” was no longer his commander but merely his lodger, nevertheless discipline was discipline. Mr. Cahoon was dying to know why the judge wished to talk to the captain, but he would have died in reality rather than continue to work the pumps against the latter's orders, expressed or intimated. Judah was no mutineer.
CHAPTER VI
Sears put in a disagreeable day or two after his call upon the judge. He was dissatisfied with the ending of their interview. He felt that he had been foolishly soft-hearted in promising to call at the Fair Harbor, or, to consider for another hour the preposterous offer of management of that inst.i.tution. He must say no in the end. How much better to have said it then and there. Fifteen hundred a year looked like a lot of money to him. It tempted him, that part of the proposition. But it did not tempt him sufficiently to overcome the absurdities of the remaining part. How could _he_ manage an old woman's home? And what would people say if he tried?
Nevertheless, he had promised to visit the place and look it over and the promise must be kept. He dreaded it about as much as he had ever dreaded anything, but--he had promised. So on the morning of the third day following that of his call upon Judge Knowles he hobbled painfully and slowly up the front walk of the Fair Harbor to the formidable front door, with its great South Sea sh.e.l.ls at each end of the granite step--relics of Captain Sylva.n.u.s's early voyages--and its silver-plated name plate with ”SEYMOUR” engraved upon it in Gothic lettering. To one looking back from the view-point of to-day such a name plate may seem a bit superfluous and unnecessary in a village where every one knew not only where every one else lived, but how they lived and all about them.
The fact remains that in Bayport in the '70's there were many name plates.
Sears gave the gla.s.s k.n.o.b beside the front door a pull. From the interior of the house came the resultant ”_JINGLE_; _jingle_; jingle, jing, jing.” Then a wait, then the sound of footsteps approaching the other side of the door. Then a momentary glimpse of a reconnoitering eye behind one of the transparent urns engraved in the ground gla.s.s pane.
Then a rattle of bolt and latch and the door opened.