lumber?" he demanded.

"It doesn't make any difference whether it is or not, I--"

"Didn't you tell Z. Snow and Co. that this lumber'd got to be delivered
to-day or you'd cancel the order?"

"Never mind. That is my business, sir. You--"

"Hold on! Ho-o-ld on! _I_ got a business, too. My business is deliverin'
what I'm paid to deliver. Al Speranzy he says to me: 'Ves,' he says, 'if
you don't deliver that lumber to old man Calvin to-day you don't get no
money, see. Will you deliver it?' Says I, 'You bet your crashety-blank
life I'll (hic) d'liver it! What I say I'll do, I'll do!' And I'm
deliverin' it, ain't I? Hey? Ain't I? Well, then, what the--" And so
forth and at length, while Mrs. Calvin collapsed half fainting in an
easy-chair, and horrified Welfare Workers covered their ears--and longed
to cover their noses.

The lumber was delivered that day. Its delivery was, from the viewpoint
of Messrs. Young and Mullen, a success. The spring meeting of the
Welfare Workers was not a success.

The following day Mr. Calvin called at the office of Z. Snow and Co. He
had things to say and said them. Captain Zelotes, who had returned from
Boston, listened. Then he called his grandson.

"Tell him what you've just told me, Mr. Calvin," he said.

The reverend gentleman told it, with added details.

"And in my opinion, if you'll excuse me, Captain Snow," he said, in
conclusion, "this young man knew what he was doing when he sent those
drunken scoundrels to my house. He did it purposely, I am convinced."

Captain Zelotes looked at him.

"Why?" he asked.

"Why, because--because of--of what I said to him--er--er--when I called
here yesterday morning. He--I presume he took offense and--and this
outrage is the result. I am convinced that--"

"Wait a minute. What did you say for him to take offense at?"

"I demanded that order should be delivered as promised. I am accustomed
to do business with business men and--"

"Hold on just a minute more, Mr. Calvin. We don't seem to be gettin' at
the clam in this shell as fast as we'd ought to. Al, what have you got
to say about all this business?"

Albert was white, almost as white as when he fought Sam Thatcher, but as
he stood up to Sam so also did he face the irate clergyman. He told
of the latter's visit to the office, of the threat to cancel the order
unless delivery was promised that day, of how his promise to deliver was
exacted, of his effort to keep that promise.

"I HAD