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sensible other times； too。〃
Albert was more puzzled than ever。 Why in the world Mrs。 Ellis
should tie up her head and groan because the little Keeler person
had gone on a spree was beyond his comprehension。
His grandmother enlightened him a trifle。
〃You see；〃 she went on； 〃she and Laban have been engaged to be
married ever since they were young folks。 It's Laban's weakness
for liquor that's kept 'em apart so long。 She won't marry him
while he drinks and he keeps swearin' off and then breaking down。
He's a good man； too； an awful good man and capable as all get…out
when he's sober。 Lately that is； for the last seven or eight
years； beginnin' with the time when that lecturer on mesmerism and
telegraphyno； telepathythought…transfers and suchwas at the
town hallRachel has been havin' these sympathetic attacks of
hers。 She declares that alcohol…takin' is a disease and that Laban
suffers when he's tipsy and that she and he are so bound up
together that she suffers just the same as he does。 I must say I
never noticed him sufferin' very much； not at the beginnin；'
anyhowacts more as he was havin' a good timebut she seems to。
I don't wonder you smile；〃 she added。 〃'Tis funny； in a way； and
it's queer that such a practical； common…sense woman as Rachel
Ellis is； should have such a notion。 It's hard on us； though。
Don't say anything to her about it； and don't laugh at her；
whatever you do。〃
Albert wanted to laugh very much。 〃But； Mrs。 Snow〃 he began。
〃Mercy sakes alive！ You ain't goin' to call me 'Mrs。 Snow；' I
hope。〃
〃No； of course not。 But； Grandmother why do you and Captainyou
and Grandfather keep her and Keeler if they are so much trouble？
Why don't you let them go and get someone else？〃
〃Let 'em go？ Get someone else！ Why； we COULDN'T get anybody else；
anyone who would be like them。 They're almost a part of our
family； that is； Rachel is； she's been here since goodness knows
when。 And； when he's sober Laban almost runs the lumber business。
Besides； they're nice folksalmost always。〃
Plainly the ways of South Harniss were not the ways of the world he
had known。 Certainly these people were 〃Rubes〃 and queer Rubes；
too。 Then he remembered that two of them were his grandparents and
that his immediate future was； so to speak； in their hands。 The
thought was not entirely comforting or delightful。 He was still
pondering upon it when his grandfather came in from the barn。
The captain said good morning in the same way he had said good
night； that is； he and Albert shook hands and the boy was again
conscious of the gaze which took him in from head to foot and of
the quiet twinkle in the gray eyes。
〃Sleep well； son？〃 inquired Captain Zelotes。
〃Yes 。 。 。 Yes； sir。〃
〃That's good。 I judged you was makin' a pretty good try at it when
I thumped on your door this mornin'。 Somethin' new for you to be
turned out at seven； eh？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃Eh？ It wasn't？〃
〃No； sir。 The rising bell rang at seven up at school。 We were
supposed to be down at breakfast at a quarter past。〃
〃Humph！ You were； eh？ Supposed to be？ Does that mean that you
were there？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
There was a surprised look in the gray eyes now； a fact which
Albert noticed with inward delight。 He had taken one 〃rise〃 out
of his grandfather； at any rate。 He waited； hoping for another
opportunity； but it did not come。 Instead they sat down to
breakfast。
Breakfast； in spite of the morning sunshine at the windows； was
somewhat gloomy。 The homesickness； although not as acute as on the
previous night； was still in evidence。 Albert felt lost； out of
his element； lonely。 And； to add a touch of real miserableness；
the housekeeper served and ate like a near relative of the deceased
at a funeral feast。 She moved slowly； she sighed heavily； and the
bandage upon her forehead loomed large and portentous。 When spoken
to she seldom replied before the third attempt。 Captain Zelotes
lost patience。
〃Have another egg？〃 he roared； brandishing the spoon containing it
at arm's length and almost under her nose。 〃Egg！ Egg！ EGG！ If
you can't hear it； smell it。 Only answer； for heaven sakes！〃
The effect of this outburst was obviously not what he had hoped。
Mrs。 Ellis stared first at the egg quivering before her face； then
at the captain。 Then she rose and marched majestically to the
kitchen。 The door closed； but a heartrending sniff drifted in
through the crack。 Olive laid down her knife and fork。
〃There！〃 she exclaimed； despairingly。 〃Now see what you've done。
Oh； Zelotes； how many times have I told you you've got to treat her
tactful when she's this way？〃
Captain Lote put the egg back in the bowl。
〃DAMN！〃 he observed； with intense enthusiasm。
His wife shook her head。
〃Swearin' don't help it a mite； either；〃 she declared。 〃Besides I
don't know what Albert here must think of you。〃 Albert； who；
between astonishment and a wild desire to laugh； was in a critical
condition； appeared rather embarrassed。 His grandfather looked at
him and smiled grimly。
〃I cal'late one damn won't scare him to death；〃 he observed。
〃Maybe he's heard somethin' like it afore。 Or do they say； 'Oh；
sugar！' up at that school you come from？〃 he added。
Albert； not knowing how to reply； looked more embarrassed than
ever。 Olive seemed on the point of weeping。
〃Oh； Zelotes； how CAN you！〃 she wailed。 〃And to…day； of all days！
His very first mornin'！〃
Captain Lote relented。
〃There； there； Mother！〃 he said。 〃I'm sorry。 Forget it。 Sorry if
I shocked you； Albert。 There's times when salt…water language is
the only thing that seems to help me out 。 。 。 Well； Mother； what
next？ What'll we do now？〃
〃You know just as well as I do； Zelotes。 There's only one thing
you can do。 That's go out and beg her pardon this minute。 There's
a dozen places she could get right here in South Harniss without
turnin' her hand over。 And if she should leave I don't know WHAT
I'd do。〃
〃Leave！ She ain't goin' to leave any more'n than the ship's cat's
goin' to jump overboard。 She's been here so long she wouldn't know
how to leave if she wanted to。〃
〃That don't make any difference。 The pitcher that goes to the
wellerer〃
She had evidently forgotten the rest of the proverb。 Her husband
helped her out。
〃Flocks together or gathers no moss； or somethin'； eh？ All right；
Mother； don't fret。 There ain't really any occasion to； considerin'
we've been through somethin' like this at least once every six
months for ten years。〃
〃Zelotes； won't you PLEASE go and ask her pardon？〃
The captain pushed back his chair。 〃I'll be hanged if it ain't a
healthy note；〃 he grumbled； 〃when the skipper has to go and
apologize to the cook because the cook's made a fool of herself！
I'd like to know what kind of rum Labe drinks。 I never saw any but
his kind that would go to somebody else's head。 Two people gettin'
tight and only one of 'em drinkin' is somethin'〃
He disappeared into the kitchen； still muttering。 Mrs。 Snow smiled
feebly at her grandson。
〃I guess you think we're funny folks； Albert；〃 she said。 〃But
Rachel is one hired help in a thousand and