"Oh, I was just tellin' Gabe that the 'this' he was talkin' about
was here now," he said, "and that maybe if he waited a space the
'that' would come, too. Seems to me if I was you, Gabe, I'd--"
But Mr. Bearse had gone.
Captain Hunniwell snorted. "Humph!" he said; "I judge likely I'm
the 'this' you and that gas bag have been talkin' about. Who's the
'that'?"
His companion was gazing absently at the door through which Gabriel
had made his hurried departure. After gazing at it in silence for
a moment, he rose from the chair, unfolding section by section like
a pocket rule, and, crossing the room, opened the door and took
from its other side the lettered sign "Private" which had hung
there. Then, with tacks and a hammer, he proceeded to affix the
placard to the inner side of the door, that facing the room where
he and Captain Sam were. The captain regarded this operation with
huge astonishment.
"Gracious king!" he exclaimed. "What in thunder are you doin' that
for? This is the private room in here, ain't it?"
Mr. Winslow, returning to his chair, nodded.
"Ya-as," he admitted, "that's why I'm puttin' the 'Private' sign on
this side of the door."
"Yes, but-- Why, confound it, anybody who sees it there will think
it is the other room that's private, won't they?"
Jed nodded. "I'm in hopes they will," he said.
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