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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 she has to be treated
just so。〃
Five minutes later Cap'n 'Lote returned。 He shrugged his shoulders
and sat down at his place。
〃All right； Mother； all right；〃 he observed。 〃I've been heavin'
ile on the troubled waters and the sea's smoothin' down。 She'll be
kind and condescendin' enough to eat with us in a minute or so。〃
She was。 She came into the dining…room with the air of a saint
going to martyrdom and the remainder of the meal was eaten by the
quartet almost in silence。 When it was over the captain said：
〃Well； Al； feel like walkin'； do you？〃
〃Why； why； yes； sir； I guess so。〃
〃Humph！ You don't seem very wild at the prospect。 Walkin' ain't
much in your line； maybe。 More used to autoin'； perhaps？〃
Mrs。 Snow put in a word。 〃Don't talk so； Zelotes；〃 she said。
〃He'll think you're makin' fun of him。〃
〃Who？ Me？ Not a bit of it。 Well； Al； do you want to walk down to
the lumber yard with me？〃
The boy hesitated。 The quiet note of sarcasm in his grandfather's
voice was making him furiously angry once more； just as it had done
on the previous night。
〃Do you want me to？〃 he asked； shortly。
〃Why； yes； I cal'late I do。〃
Albert； without another word； walked to the hat…rack in the hall
and began putting on his coat。 Captain Lote watched him for a
moment and then put on his own。
〃We'll be back to dinner； Mother；〃 he said。 〃Heave ahead； Al； if
you're ready。〃
There was little conversation between the pair during the half mile
walk to the office and yards of 〃Z。 Snow and Co。； Lumber and
Builders' Hardware。〃 Only once did the captain offer a remark。
That was just as they came out by the big posts at the entrance to
the driveway。 Then he said：
〃Al； I don't want you to get the idea from what happened at the
table just nowthat foolishness about Rachel Ellisthat your
grandmother ain't a sensible woman。 She is； and there's no better
one on earth。 Don't let that fact slip your mind。〃
Albert； somewhat startled by the abruptness of the observation；
looked up in surprise。 He found the gray eyes looking down at him。
〃I noticed you lookin' at her；〃 went on his grandfather； 〃as if you
was kind of wonderin' whether to laugh at her or pity her。 You
needn't do either。 She's kind…hearted and that makes her put up
with Rachel's silliness。 Then； besides； Rachel herself is common
sense and practical nine…tenths of the time。 It's always a good
idea； son； to sail one v'yage along with a person before you decide
whether to class 'em as A。 B。 or just roustabout。〃
The blood rushed to the boy's face。 He felt guilty and the feeling
made him angrier than ever。
〃I don't see why；〃 he burst out； indignantly； 〃you should say I was
laughing atat Mrs。 Snow〃
〃At your grandmother。〃
〃Wellyesat my grandmother。 I don't see why you should say
that。 I wasn't。〃
〃Wasn't you？ Good！ I'm glad of it。 I wouldn't； anyhow。 She's
liable to be about the best friend you'll have in this world。〃
To Albert's mind flashed the addition： 〃Better than you； that
means；〃 but he kept it to himself。
The lumber yards were on a spur track not very far from the railway
station where he had spent that miserable half hour the previous
evening。 The darkness then had prevented his seeing them。 Not
that he would have been greatly interested if he had seen them； nor
was he more interested now； although his grandfather took him on a
personally conducted tour between the piles of spruce and pine and
hemlock and pointed out which was which and added further details。
〃Those are two by fours；〃 he said。 Or； 〃Those are larger joist；
different sizes。〃 〃This is good； clear stock； as good a lot of
white pine as we've got hold of for a long spell。〃 He gave
particulars concerning the 〃handiest way to drive a team〃 to one or
the other of the piles。 Albert found it rather boring。 He longed
to speak concerning enormous lumber yards he had seen in New York
or Chicago or elsewhere。 He felt almost a pitying condescension
toward this provincial grandparent who seemed to think his little
piles of 〃two by fours〃 so important。
It was much the same； perhaps a little worse； when they entered the
hardware shop and the office。 The rows and rows of little drawers
and boxes； each with samples of its contentsscrews； or bolts； or
hooks； or knobsaffixed to its front； were even more boring than
the lumber piles。 There was a countryfied； middle…aged person in
overalls sweeping out the shop and Captain Zelotes introduced him。
〃Albert；〃 he said； 〃this is Mr。 Issachar Price； who works around
the place here。 Issy； let me make you acquainted with my grandson；
Albert。〃
Mr。 Price； looking over his spectacles； extended a horny hand and
observed： 〃Yus； yus。 Pleased to meet you； Albert。 I've heard
tell of you。〃
Albert's private appraisal of 〃Issy〃 was that the latter was
another funny Rube。 Whatever Issy's estimate of his employer's
grandson might have been； he； also； kept it to himself。
Captain Zelotes looked about the shop and glanced into the office。
〃Humph！〃 he grunted。 〃No sign or symptoms of Laban this mornin'； I
presume likely？〃
Issachar went on with his sweeping。
〃Nary one；〃 was his laconic reply。
〃Humph！ Heard anything about him？〃
Mr。 Price moistened his broom in a bucket of water。 〃I see Tim
Kelley on my way down street；〃 he said。 〃Tim said he run afoul of
Laban along about ten last night。 Said he cal'lated Labe was on
his way。 He was singin' 'Hyannis on the Cape' and so Tim figgered
he'd got a pretty fair start already。〃
The captain shook his head。 〃Tut； tut； tut！〃 he muttered。 〃Well；
that means I'll have to do office work for the next week or so。
Humph！ I declare it's too bad just now when I was countin' on him
to〃 He did not finish the sentence； but instead turned to his
grandson and said： 〃Al； why don't you look around the hardware
store here while I open the mail and the safe。 If there's anything
you see you don't understand Issy'll tell you about it。〃
He went into the office。 Albert sauntered listlessly to the window
and looked out。 So far as not understanding anything in the shop
was concerned he was quite willing to remain in ignorance。 It did
not interest him in the least。 A moment later he felt a touch on
his elbow。 He turned； to find Mr。 Price standing beside him。
〃I'm all ready to tell you about it now；〃 volunteered the unsmiling
Issy。 〃Sweepin's all finished up。〃
Albert was amused。 〃I guess I can get along；〃 he said。
〃Don't worry。〃
〃_I_ ain't worried none。 I don't believe in worryin'； worryin'
don't do folks no good； the way I look at it。 But long's Cap'n
Lote wants me to tell you about the hardware I'd ruther do it now；
than any time。 Henry Cahoon's team'll be here for a load of lath
in about ten minutes or so； and then I'll have to leave you。 This
here's the shelf where we keep the buttshinges； you understand。
Brass along here； and iron here。 Got quite a stock； ain't we。〃
He took the visitor's arm in his mighty paw and led him from
she