"I
hope Huldy'll be satisfied."
But Cap'n Joab Beecher was not. He stood up and pointed his stick at
the heap of rubbish on the floor and his voice quavered as he shrilly
asked:
"Then, _where's Cap'n Abe_?"
They all turned to stare again at Cap'n Amazon. That hardy mariner
seemed to be quite as self-possessed as usual. His grim lips opened
and in caustic tone he said:
"You fellers seem to think that I'm Abe Silt's keeper. I ain't. Abe's
old enough--and ought to be seaman enough--to look out for Abe Silt.
What tomfoolery he packed into that chest is none o' my consarn. I
l'arnt years ago that Moses an' them old fellers left the chief
commandment out o' the Scriptures. That's 'Mind your own business.'
Abe's business ain't mine. Here, you Amiel! clear up that clutter an'
let's have no more words about it."
The decisive speech of the master mariner closed the lips of even Cap'n
Joab. The latter did not repeat his query about Cap'n Abe but, with a
baffled expression on his weather-beaten countenance, departed with
Perry Baker.
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