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〃You mean that？ 。 。 。 Um…hm。 。 。 。 Well； sometimes seems as if I
might have been。 You see； Labe； when he first come I Well； I
cal'late I was consider'ble prejudiced against him。 Account of his
father； you understand。〃
〃Sartin。 Sure。 I understand。〃
〃It took me a good while to get reconciled to the Portygee streak
in him。 It chafed me consider'ble to think there was a foreign
streak in our family。 The Snows have been straight Yankee for a
good long while。 。 。 。 Fact is； II never got really reconciled
to it。 I kept bein' fearful all the time that that streak； his
father's streak； would break out in him。 It never did； except of
course in his poetry and that sort of foolishness； but I was always
scared 'twould； you see。 And nownow that this has happened II
kind of fret for fear that I may have let my notions get ahead of
my fair play。 You think I did give the boy a square deal； Labe？〃
〃Sure thing； Cap'n。〃
〃I'm glad of that。 。 。 。 Andand you cal'late he wasn'twasn't
too prejudiced against me？ I don't mean along at first； I mean
this last year or two。〃
Laban hesitated。 He wished his answer to be not an overstatement；
but the exact truth。
〃I think；〃 he said； with emphasis； 〃that Al was comin' to understand
you better every day he lived； Cap'n。 Yes； and to think more and
more of you； too。 He was gettin' older； for one thingolder； more
of a manyes； yes。〃
Captain Zelotes smiled sadly。 〃He was more boy than man by a good
deal yet；〃 he observed。 〃Well； Labe； he's gone and I'm just
beginnin' to realize how much of life for me has gone along with
him。 He'd been doin' better here in the office for the last two or
three years； seemed to be catchin' on to business better。 Didn't
you think so； Labe？〃
〃Sartin。 Yes indeed。 Fust…rate； fust…rate。〃
〃No； not first…rate。 He was a long ways from a business man yet；
but I did think he was doin' a lot better。 I could begin to see
him pilotin' this craft after I was called ashore。 Now he's gone
and 。 。 。 well； I don't see much use in my fightin' to keep it
afloat。 I'm gettin' along in yearsand what's the use？〃
It was the first time Laban had ever heard Captain Zelotes refer to
himself as an old man。 It shocked him into sharp expostulation。
〃Nonsense！〃 he exclaimed。 〃You ain't old enough for the scrap heap
by a big stretch。 And besides； he made his fight； didn't he？ He
didn't quit； Al didn't； and he wouldn't want us to。 No sir…ee； he
wouldn't！ No； sir； no！ 。 。 。 II hope you'll excuse me； Cap'n
Lote。 Ideclare it must seem to you as if I was talkin' pretty
fresh。 I swan I'm sorry。 I am so 。 。 。 sorry； yes； yes； I be。〃
The captain was not offended。 He waved the apologies aside。
〃So you think it's worth while my fightin' it out； do you； Labe？〃
he asked； reflectively。
〃II think it's what you ought to do anyhow； whether it's worth
while or not。 The whole world's fightin'。 Uncle Sam's fightin'。
Al was fightin'。 You're fightin'。 I'm fightin'。 It's a darn
sight easier to quit； a darn sight； butbut Al didn't quit。 And
and we mustn'tnot if we can help it；〃 he added； drawing a hand
across his forehead。
His agitation seemed to surprise Captain Zelotes。 〃So all hands
are fightin'； are they； Labe；〃 he observed。 〃Well； I presume
likely there's some truth in that。 What's your particular fight；
for instance？〃
The little bookkeeper looked at him for an instant before replying。
The captain's question was kindly asked； but there was； or so Laban
imagined； the faintest trace of sarcasm in its tone。 That trace
decided him。 He leaned across the desk。
〃My particular fight？〃 he repeated。 〃Youyou want to know what
'tis； Cap'n Lote？ All right； all right； I'll tell you。〃
And without waiting for further questioning and with； for him；
surprisingly few repetitions； he told of his 〃enlistment〃 to fight
John Barleycorn for the duration of the war。 Captain Zelotes
listened to the very end in silence。 Laban mopped his forehead
with a hand which shook much as it had done during the interview
with Albert in the room above the shoe store。
〃Therethere；〃 he declared； in conclusion； 〃that's my fight； Cap'n
Lote。 Al and I； wewe kind of went into it together； as you might
say； though his enlistin' was consider'ble more heroic than mine
yes indeed； I should say so 。 。 。 yes； yes； yes。 But I'm fightin'
too 。 。 。 er 。 。 。 I'm fightin' too。〃
Captain Zelotes pulled his beard。
〃How's the fight goin'； Labe？〃 he asked； quietly。
〃Wellwell； it's kind ofkind of spotty； as you might say。
There's spots when I get along fairly smooth and others whenwell；
when it's pretty rough goin'。 I've had four hard spots since Al
went away； but there's two that was the hardest。 One was along
Christmas and New Year time； you know I 'most generally had one of
myerspells along about then。 And t'other is just now； I mean
since we got word aboutabout Al。 I don't suppose likely you
surmised it； Cap'n； butbut I'd come to think a lot of that boy
yes； I had。 Seems funny to you； I don't doubt； but it's so。 And
since the word come； you knowIIwell； I've had some fight；
some fight。 II don't cal'late I've slept more'n four hours in
the last four nightsnot more'n that； no。 Walkin' helps me most；
seems so。 Last night I walked to West Orham。〃
〃To West Orham！ You WALKED there？ Last NIGHT？〃
〃Um…hm。 Long's I can keep walkin' II seem to part way forgetto
forget the stuff； you know。 When I'm alone in my room I go 'most
crazypretty nigh loony。 。 。 。 But there！ I don't know why I got
to talkin' like this to you； Cap'n Lote。 You've got your troubles
and〃
〃Hold on； Labe。 Does Rachel know about your fight？〃
〃No。 No； no。 Course she must notice how long I've beenbeen
straight； but I haven't told her。 I want to be sure I'm goin' to
win before I tell her。 She's been disappointed times enough
before； poor woman。 。 。 。 There； Cap'n Lote； don't let's talk
about it any more。 Please don't get the notion that I'm askin' for
pity or anything like that。 And don't think I'm comparin' what I
call my fight to the real one like Al's。 There's nothin' much
heroic about me； eh？ No； no； I guess not。 Tell that to look at
me； eh？〃
Captain Zelotes rose and laid his big hand on his bookkeeper's
shoulder。
〃Don't you believe it； Labe；〃 he said。 〃I'm proud of you。 。 。 。
And； I declare； I'm ashamed of myself。 。 。 。 Humph！ 。 。 。 Well；
to…night you come home with me and have supper at the house。〃
〃Now； now； Cap'n Lote〃
〃You do as I tell you。 After supper； if there's any walkin' to be
doneif you take a notion to frog it to Orham or San Francisco or
somewheresmaybe I'll go with you。 Walkin' may be good for my
fight； too； you can't tell till you try。 。 。 。 There； don't argue；
Labe。 I'm skipper of this craft yet and you'll obey my orders；
d'you hear？〃
The day following the receipt of the fateful telegram the captain
wrote a brief note to Fletcher Fosdick。 A day or two later he
received a reply。 Fosdick's letter was kindly and deeply
sympathetic。 He had been greatly shocked and grieved by the news。
Young Speranza seemed to me； （he wrote） in my one short interview