"Yes," he replied. "What of it?"
"Why--why, just this, Sam: I--I want it to be plain, you
understand. I want Major Grover and Phineas here to understand
the--the whole of it. There's a lot of talk, seems so, around town
about money bein' missin' from the bank--"
Captain Sam interrupted. "The deuce there is!" he exclaimed.
"That's the first I've heard of any such talk. Who's talkin'?"
"Oh, a--a good many folks, I judge likely. Gabe Bearse asked
Babbie about it, and Phin here he--"
"Eh?" The captain turned to face his old enemy. "So you've been
talkin', have you?" he asked.
Mr. Babbitt leaned forward. "I ain't begun my talkin' yet, Sam
Hunniwell," he snarled. "When I do you'll--"
He stopped. Grover had touched him on the shoulder.
"Sshh!" said the Major quietly. To the absolute amazement of
Captain Sam, Phineas subsided. His face was blazing red and he
seemed to be boiling inside, but he did not say another word. Jed
seized the opportunity to continue.
"I--I just want to get this all plain, Sam," he put in, hastily.
"I just want it so all hands'll understand it, that's all. You
went over to Sylvester Sage's in Wapatomac and he paid you four
hundred dollars. When you got back home here fourteen hundred of
it was missin'. No, no, I don't mean that. I mean you couldn't
find fourteen hundred--I mean--"
The captain's patience was, as he himself often said, moored with a
short cable.
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