I've heard him recommend a good many folks to go to him."
"Ho, ho! Yes, that's so. Well, Jim Bailey told me that when Phin
had read the telegram he never said a word. Just got up and walked
into his back shop. But Jerry Burgess said that, later on, at the
post-office somebody said somethin' about how Leander must be a
mighty good fighter to be recommended for that cross, and Phineas
was openin' his mail box and heard 'em. Jerry says old Phin turned
and snapped out over his shoulder: 'Why not? He's my son, ain't
he?' So there you are. Maybe that's pride, or cussedness, or
both. Anyhow, it's Phin Babbitt."
As the captain was turning to go he asked his friend a question.
"Jed," he asked, "what in the world have you taken your front gate
off the hinges for?"
Jed, who had been gazing dreamily out to sea for the past few
minutes, started and came to life.
"Eh?" he queried. "Did--did you speak, Sam?"
"Yes, but you haven't yet. I asked you what you took your front
gate off the hinges for."
"Oh, I didn't. I took the hinges off the gate."
"Well, it amounts to the same thing. The gate's standin' up
alongside the fence. What did you do it for?"
Jed sighed. "It squeaked like time," he drawled, "and I had to
stop it."
"So you took the hinges off? Gracious king! Why didn't you ile
'em so they wouldn't squeak?"
"Eh? .
Pages:
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456