r old
job back again, was you, Al? Cal'late he could have it, couldn't he,
Cap'n? We'll need somebody to heave a bucket of water on Issy pretty
soon; he's gettin' kind of pert and uppish again. Pretty much so. Yes,
yes, yes."

He departed, chuckling. Captain Zelotes looked after him. He tugged at
his beard.

"Al," he said, "do you know what I've about made up my mind to do?"

Albert shook his head.

"I've about made up my mind to take Labe Keeler into the firm of Z. Snow
and Co. YOU won't come in, and," with a twinkle, "I need somebody to
keep my name from gettin' lonesome on the sign."

Albert was delighted.

"Bully for you, Grandfather!" he exclaimed. "You couldn't do a better
thing for Labe or for the firm. And he deserves it, too."

"Ye-es, I think he does. Labe's a mighty faithful, capable feller, and
now that he's sworn off on those vacations of his he can be trusted
anywheres. Yes, I've as good as made up my mind to take him in. Of
course," with the twinkle in evidence once more, "Issachar'll be a
little mite jealous, but we'll have to bear up under that as best we
can."

"I wonder what Labe will say when you tell him?"

"He'll say yes. I'll tell Rachel first and she'll tell him to say it.
And then I'll tell 'em both I won't do it unless they agree to get
married. I've always said I didn't want to die till I'd been to that
weddin'. I want to hear Rachel tell the minister she'll 'obey' Labe. Ho,
ho!"

"Do you suppose they ever will be married?"

"Why, yes, I kind of think so. I shouldn't wonder if they would be right
off now if it wasn't that Rachel wouldn't think of givin' up keepin'
house for your grandmother. She wouldn't do that and Labe wouldn't want
her to. I've got to fix that somehow. Perhaps they could live along with
us. Land knows there's room enough. They're all right, those two. Kind
of funny to look at, and they match up in size like a rubber boot and a
slipper, but I declare I don't know which has got the most common-sense
or the biggest heart. And 'twould be hard to tell which thinks the most
of you, Al. . . . Eh? Why, it's after half-past twelve o'clock! Olive'll
be for combin' our topknots with a belayin' pin if we keep her dinner
waitin' like this."

As they were putting on their coats the captain spoke again.

"I hadn't finished what I was sayin' to you when Labe came in," he
observed. "'Twasn't much account; just a sort of confession, and they
say that's good for the soul. I