Capn Abe, Storekeeper | Page 9

Am'zon Silt, when he was ashore once't in Borneo,
met one o' them critters."
"Gosh all fishhooks!" ejaculated Milt. "Ain't there no place on this
green airth that brother o' yourn ain't been, Cap'n Abe?"
"He ain't never been in jail, Milt," said the storekeeper mildly, and the
assembly broke into an appreciative chuckle. It was well known that on
the last Fourth of July Milt Baker had been shut into the calaboose at
Paulmouth to sober up.
"As I was sayin'," pursued Cap'n Abe reflectively, "Cap'n Amazon
went up country with a Dutchman--a trader, I b'lieve he said the man
was--and they got into a part where the orang-outangs was plentiful."
"Jest as thick as sandpipers along The Beaches, I shouldn't wonder,"
put in Cap'n Joab, at last tempted beyond his strength.
"No; nor like mackerel when ye get a full seine-haul," responded the
storekeeper, unruffled, "but thicker'n you'd want sand fleas to be if the

fleas measured up to the size of orang-outangs."
Lawford Tapp burst into open laughter. "They can't catch you, can they,
Cap'n Abe?" he said. "If that brother of yours has gone through
one-half the perils by land and sea I've heard you tell about, he's beat
out most sailors from old Noah down to Admiral Dewey."
Cap'n Abe's brows came together in pronounced disapproval. "Young
man," he said, "if Cap'n Am'zon was here now ye wouldn't darst cast
any aspersions on his word. He ain't the man to stand for't."
"Well, I'd like to see Cap'n Amazon," Lawford said lightly, "if only for
the sake of asking him a question or two."
"You'll likely get your wish," returned the storekeeper tartly.
"What d'ye mean?" drawled Milt Baker, who always bobbed up
serenely. "Ye don't say Cap'n Am'zon's likely to show up here at
Cardhaven after all these years?"
There was barely a second's hesitation on Mr. Silt's part. Then he said:
"That's exactly what I mean. I got a--ahem!--a letter from Cap'n
Am'zon only lately."
"And he's comin' to see ye?" gasped Cap'n Joab, turning from the door
to stare like the others at the storekeeper.
"Yes," the latter confessed. "And he's likely to stay quite a spell when
he does come. Says suthin' 'bout settlin' down. He's gettin' along in
years like the rest of us. Mebbe I'll let him keep store for me this
summer whilst I take a vacation," added Cap'n Abe more briskly, "like
I been wantin' to do for a long spell back."
"You took a vacation of a week or more about--was it ten year ago?"
demanded Cap'n Joab. "I looked after the place for ye then."
"Ahem! I mean a real vacation," Cap'n Abe declared, still staring at the
fishfly now feebly butting its head against the pane. "That week was

when I went to the--'hem--buryin' of my a'nt, Joab. I'll go this time
mebbe for two-three months. Take a v'y'ge somewhere, I've always
wanted to."
"Land sakes!" exploded Cap'n Joab. "I know ye been talkin' 'bout
cruisin' around--to see your folks, or the like--for the longest spell. But
I didn't s'pose ye re'lly meant it. And your brother comin', too! Well!"
"If he can tell of his adventures as well as you relate them," laughed
Lawford, "Cap'n Amazon should be an addition to the Cardhaven social
whirl."
"You take my advice, young man," Cap'n Abe said, with sternness,
"and belay that sort o' talk afore Cap'n Am'zon when he does come.
He's lived a rough sort o' life. He's nobody's tame cat. Doubt his word
and he's jest as like as not to take ye by the scruff of the neck and duck
ye in the water butt."
There was a general laugh. Almost always the storekeeper managed to
turn the tables in some way upon any doubting Thomas that drifted into
his shop. Because of his ability in this particular he had managed to
hold his audience all these years.
Lawford could think of no reply with which to turn the laugh. His wit
was not of a nimble order. He turned to the door again and suddenly a
low ejaculation parted his lips.
"There's that girl again!"
Milt Baker screwed his neck around for a look. "See who's come!" he
cackled. "I bet it's one o' them moving picture actresses."
Lawford cast on the ribald Milt a somewhat angry glance. Yet he did
not speak again for a moment.
"Tidy craft," grunted Cap'n Joab, eying the young woman who was
approaching the store along the white road.

"I saw her get out of Noah's ark when he landed at the post-office this
noon," Lawford explained to Cap'n Joab. "She looks like a nice girl."
"Trim as a yacht," declared the old man admiringly.
She was plainly city bred--and city gowned--and she carried her light
traveling bag