My! he's not much like Cap'n Abe, after all."
But with her, Cap'n Amazon was as gentle as her own father. He stood
on his dignity with the customers who came to the store, and with
Betty; but he was most kindly toward Louise in every look and word.
That under his self-contained and stern exterior dwelt a very tender
heart, the girl was sure. For the absent Cap'n Abe he appeared to feel
a strong man's good-natured scorn for a weak one; but Louise saw him
stand often before Jerry's cage, chirping to the bird and playing with
him. And at such times there was moisture in Cap'n Amazon's eye.
"Blind's a bat! Poor little critter!" he would murmur. "All the
sunshine does is to warm him; he can't see it no more. Out-o'-doors
ain't nothin' to him now."
Nor would he allow anybody but himself to attend to the needs of poor
little Jerry. He had promised Abe, he said. He kept that promise
faithfully.
Diddimus, the cat, was entirely another problem. At first, whenever he
saw Cap'n Amazon approach, he howled and fled.
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