"No, sir!" declared the selectman, with vigor.

"It's only monthly lease, I repeat. You can prevent them from getting

pauper residence here, in case none of my plans work."

"Don't want 'em here--won't have 'em! I consider taxpayers first!"

"Don't ye ever consider common, ordinary, human decency?" roared Captain

Epps Candage.

It was astonishing interruption. Its violence made it startling. Mayo

whirled and stared amazedly at this new recruit.

Captain Candage yanked his fat wallet from his pocket and dammed it down

on the counter with a bang which made the selectman's eyes snap.

"You know me, Rowley! We've got the money to pay for what we order and

contract for. Them folks ain't paupers so long as we stand be-hind 'em.

We are bringing 'em ashore, here, because it's right to help 'em get

onto their feet. Hold on, Captain Mayo; you let me talk to Rowley! Him

and me know how to get sociable in a business talk!"

However, Captain Candage seemed to be seeking sociability by bellowing

ferociously, thudding his hard fist on the counter. Mayo was not easily

surprised by the temperamental vagaries of queer old 'longcoast crabs

like Captain Candage, but this sudden conversion did take away his

breath.

"When a close and partickler friend of mine, like this one I've just

introduced, comes to you all polite and asks a favor, I want general

politeness all around or I'll know the reason why," shouted the

intermediary. "Look-a-here, Rowley, you pretend to be a terrible

Christian sort of a man. When I have been fog-bound here I've tended out

on prayer-meetings, and I have heard you holler like a good one about

dying grace and salvation is free. I've never heard you say much about

living charity that costs something!"

"I claim to be a Christian man," faltered Rowley, backing away from the

banging fist.

"Then act like one. If you don't do it, blast your pelt, I'll post you

for a heathen from West Quoddy to Kittery!"

"God bless you, my dad!" whispered the girl, snuggling close to the

skipper's shoulder.

"Furthermore, Rowley, besides paying you a fair rental for that old

fish-house we'll buy grub for them poor devils out of your store."

Mr. Rowley caressed his beard and blinked.

"They're like empty nail-kags, and they'll eat a lot of vittles and

we've got the money to pay!"

"I have a wallet of my own," stated Captain Mayo. He had not recovered

from his amazement at the sudden shift about of Captain Candage. After

all the sullen growling he had been tempted to ask the old skipper to

stop tagging him about on his errand of mercy.




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