"But mother allus was opposed. She kept talkin' against it when I was
a boy--and later, too. She told how scar't she was when Cap'n Josh and
the _Bravo_ went down in sight of her windows. And mebbe I ketched it
more from her talkin' than aught else.
"But I never realized that stress of circumstances could push me into
it an' make a man of me. I had a feelin' that I'd swoon away an' fall
right down in my tracks if I undertook to face such a sea as that was
t'other day.
"And see! Nothing of the kind happened! I knew I'd got to make good
Cap'n Am'zon's character, or not hold up my head in Cardhaven again. I
don't dispute I've been a hi-mighty liar, Niece Louise. But--but it's
sort o' made a man o' me for once, don't ye think?
"I dunno. Good comes out o' bad sometimes. Bitter from the sweet as
well. And when a man's got a repertation to maintain----There was that
feller Hanks, on the _Lunette_, out o' Nantucket. I've heard Cap'n
Am'zon tell it----"
"Cap'n Abe!" gasped Louise.
"Hi-mighty! There I go again," said the storekeeper mournfully.
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