that Ed
Farmer was took in partner. He was so smart and done so well they give
him a share and took him in.

"Everybody liked him, too. He was younger even than the rest, and fine
lookin' and he had a--a kind of way with him that just made you like
him. The way the business was handled was somethin' like this: Cap'n
Marcellus, your stepfather, Mary-'Gusta, he and Cap'n Shad done the
outside managin', bossin' the men--we had a lot of 'em on the wharf them
days, too, and there was always schooners unloadin' and carts loadin' up
and fellers headin' up barrels--Oh, Hall and Company's store and docks
was the busiest place on the South Shore. You ask anybody that remembers
and they'll tell you so.

"Well, Cap'n Marcellus and Cap'n Shad was sort of outside bosses, same
as I said, and Zoeth he was sort of general business boss, 'tendin' to
the buyin' supplies and payin' for 'em and gettin' money and the like of
that, and Ed--Edgar Farmer, I mean--he was inside office boss, lookin'
out for the books and the collections and the bank account and so on.
Marcellus and Zoeth and Cap'n Shad was old chums and had been for years;
they was as much to each other as brothers and always had been; but it
wan't so very long afore they thought as much of Farmer as they did of
themselves. He was that kind--you couldn't help takin' a notion to him.

"When I get to talkin' about Hall and Company I could talk for a month
of Sundays. Them was great days--yes, sir, great days for South Harniss
and the fish business. Why I've seen, of a Saturday mornin' in the
mackerel season, as many as forty men ashore right here in town with
money in their pockets and their hats on onesided, lookin' for fun or
trouble just as happened along. And Cap'n Marcellus and his partners was
looked up to and respected; not much more'n boys they wan't, but they
was big-bugs, I tell you, and they wore beaver hats to church on Sunday,
every man jack of 'em. Fur's that goes, I wore one, too, and you might
not think it, but 'twas becomin' to me if I do say it. Yes, sir-ee!
'Twas a kind of curl-up brim one, that hat was, and--"

"Never mind the hat now, Isaiah," interrupted Mary. "Tell me about Mr.
Farmer."

Isaiah looked offended. "I am tellin' you, ain't I?" he demanded. "Ain't
I tellin' you fast as I can?"

"Perhaps you are. We won't argue about it. Go on."

"Well--well, where was I? You've put me clear off my course."

"You were just going to tell me what Mr. Farmer