ew of us blamed Heman Atkins. The majority considered his letter
"noble" and "so feeling." But some one must be blamed for a community
disappointment like this, and the scapegoat was on the premises. How
about that "committee of one" self-appointed at town meeting? How
about the blatant person who had declared HE could have gotten the
appropriation? What had the "committee" done? Nothing! nothing at all!
He had not even written to the Capital--so far as anyone could find
out--much less gone there.

So, at Simmons's and the sewing circle, and after meeting on Sunday, Cy
Whittaker was again discussed and derided. And this week's Breeze, out
that morning, contained a sarcastic editorial which mentioned no names,
but hinted at "a certain now notorious person" who had boasted loudly,
but who had again "been weighed in the balance of public opinion and
found wanting."

Miss Dawes did not seem pleased with the captain's nonchalant attitude
toward the Breeze and its editorial. She tapped the braided mat with her
foot.

"Captain Cyrus," she said, "if you intended doing nothing toward
securing that appropriation why did you accept the responsibility for it
at the meeting?"

Captain Cy looked up. Her tone reminded him of their first meeting, when
she had reproved him for going to sleep and leaving Bos'n to the mercy
of the Cahoon cow.

"Well," he said, "afore this Thomas business happened, to knock all
my plans on their beam ends, I'd done consider'ble thinkin' about
that appropriation. It seemed to me that there must be some reason
for Heman's comin' about so sudden. He was sartin sure of the thirty
thousand for a spell; then, all to once, he begun to take in sail and go
on t'other tack. I don't know much about politics, but I know HE knows
all the politics there is. And it seemed to me that if a live man, one
with eyes in his head, went to Washington and looked around he might
find the reason. And, if he did find it, maybe Heman could be coaxed
into changin' his mind again. Anyhow, I was willin' to take the risk of
tryin'; and, besides, Tad and Abe Leonard had me on the griddle at that
meetin', and I spoke up sharp--too sharp, maybe."

"But you still believe that you MIGHT help if you went to Washington?"

"Yes. I guess I do. Anyhow, I'd ask some pretty p'inted questions. You
see, I ain't lived here in Bayport all my life, and I don't swaller ALL
the bait Heman heaves overboard."

"Then why don't you go?"

"Hey? Why