Part 44 (2/2)

”'A plot an' a penny left over!' says he.

”'A plot an' a penny,' says I.

”'Tumm,' says he, with a little smile, 'I needs the plot, but _you_ take the penny. 'Tis sort o' surprisin',' says he, 'an' wonderful nice, too, t' be able t' make a bequest. I'd like t' do it, Tumm,' says he, 'jus'

for the feel of it, if you don't mind the size.'

”I 'lowed I'd take it an' be glad.

”'Look you! Bill Hulk,' says Neverbudge, 'if them graves is goin' t'

trouble you, I'll move un an' pay the cost o' labor. There, now!' says he; 'that's kind enough.'

”Bill Hulk got up on his elbow. '_What_'ll you do along o' my plot?'

says he.

”'Move them graves,' says Neverbudge.

”'You leave my plot be, Tom Neverbudge!' says Bill. 'What you think I been wantin' t' lie in that plot for, anyhow?'

”Tom Neverbudge 'lowed he didn't know.

”'Why,' says ol' Bill Hulk, 'jus' t' lie alongside them poor lonely little kids!'

”I let un fall back on the pillow.

”'I'm through, Tumm,' says he, 'an' I 'low I'll quit.'

”Straightway he quit....”

Wind astern, moonlight and mist upon the sea, a serene and tender sky, with a mult.i.tude of stars benignantly peeping from its mystery: and the _Good Samaritan_ dawdled on, wing and wing to the breeze, bound across from Sinners' Tickle to Afterward Bight, there to deal for the first of the catch. Tumm looked up to the sky. He was smiling in a gentle, wistful way. A little psa'm from his Bible? Again I wondered concerning the lesson. ”Wink away,” said he, ”you little beggars! Wink away-wink away! You been lookin' at this d.a.m.ned thing so long that no wonder you winks. Wink away! I'm glad you've the heart t' do it. I'm not troubled by fears when you winks down, you're so wonderful wiser'n we. Wink on, you knowin' little beggars!”

This, then, it seemed, was the lesson.

THE END

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