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dropped their eyes； vanquished and embarrassed。 Then he tore open the
telegram and glanced at its message。 The yellow paper fell from his
fingers and fluttered to the floor； and his face turned white。 There was
nothing there but one word
〃Thanks。〃
The humorist of the house； the tall； raw…boned Billy Nash； caulker from
the navy yard； was standing in the rear of the crowd。 In the midst of
the pathetic silence that was now brooding over the place and moving some
few hearts there toward compassion； he began to whimper； then he put his
handkerchief to his eyes and buried his face in the neck of the；
bashfulest young fellow in the company； a navy…yard blacksmith； shrieked
〃Oh； pappy； how could you！〃 and began to bawl like a teething baby； if
one may imagine a baby with the energy and the devastating voice of a
jackass。
So perfect was that imitation of a child's cry； and so vast the scale of
it and so ridiculous the aspect of the performer； that all gravity was
swept from the place as if by a hurricane； and almost everybody there
joined in the crash of laughter provoked by the exhibition。 Then the
small mob began to take its revengerevenge for the discomfort and
apprehension it had brought upon itself by its own too rash freshness of
a little while before。 It guyed its poor victim； baited him； worried
him； as dogs do with a cornered cat。 The victim answered back with
defiances and challenges which included everybody； and which only gave
the sport new spirit and variety； but when he changed his tactics and
began to single out individuals and invite them by name； the fun lost its
funniness and the interest of the show died out； along with the noise。
Finally Marsh was about to take an innings； but Barrow said：
〃Never mind； nowleave him alone。 You've no account with him but a
money account。 I'll take care of that myself。〃
The distressed and worried landlady gave Barrow a fervently grateful look
for his championship of the abused stranger； and the pet of the house； a
very prism in her cheap but ravishing Sunday rig； blew him a kiss from
the tips of her fingers and said； with the darlingest smile and a sweet
little toss of her head：
〃You're the only man here； and I'm going to set my cap for you； you dear
old thing！〃
〃For shame； Puss！ How you talk！ I never saw such a child！〃
It took a good deal of argument and persuasionthat is to say； petting；
under these disguisesto get Tracy to entertain the idea of breakfast。
He at first said he would never eat again in that house； and added that
he had enough firmness of character； he trusted； to enable him to starve
like a man when the alternative was to eat insult with his bread。
When he had finished his breakfast； Barrow took him to his room；
furnished him a pipe； and said cheerily：
〃Now； old fellow； take in your battle…flag out of the wet； you're not in
the hostile camp any more。 You're a little upset by your troubles；
and that's natural enough； but don't let your mind run on them anymore
than you can help； drag your thoughts away from your troubles by the
ears； by the heels； or any other way； so you manage it； it's the
healthiest thing a body can do； dwelling on troubles is deadly； just
deadlyand that's the softest name there is for it。 You must keep your
mind amusedyou must； indeed。〃
〃Oh； miserable me！〃
〃Don't！ There's just pure heart…break in that tone。 It's just as I say；
you've got to get right down to it and amuse your mind； as if it was
salvation。〃
〃They're easy words to say； Barrow； but how am I going to amuse；
entertain； divert a mind that finds itself suddenly assaulted and
overwhelmed by disasters of a sort not dreamed of and not provided for？
No…no； the bare idea of amusement is repulsive to my feelings： Let us
talk of death and funerals。〃
〃No…not yet。 That would be giving up the ship。 We'll not give up the
ship yet。 I'm going to amuse you； I sent Brady out for the wherewithal
before you finished breakfast。〃
〃You did？ What is it？〃
〃Come； this is a good sign…curiosity。 Oh； there's' hope for you yet。〃
CHAPTER XVI。
Brady arrived with a box； and departed； after saying〃 They're finishing
one up； but they'll be along as soon as it's done。〃
Barrow took a frameless oil portrait a foot square from the box； set it
up in a good light； without comment； and reached for another； taking a
furtive glance at Tracy； meantime。 The stony solemnity in Tracy's face
remained as it was； and gave out no sign of interest。 Barrow placed the
second portrait beside the first； and stole another glance while reaching
for a third。 The stone image softened； a shade。 No。 3 forced the ghost
of a smile； No。 4 swept indifference wholly away； and No。 5 started a
laugh which was still in good and hearty condition when No。 14 took its
place in the row。
〃Oh； you're all right； yet；〃 said Barrow。 〃You see you're not past
amusement。〃
The pictures were fearful； as to color； and atrocious as to drawing and
expression； but the feature which squelched animosity and made them funny
was a feature which could not achieve its full force in a single picture；
but required the wonder…working assistance of repetition。 One loudly
dressed mechanic in stately attitude； with his hand on a cannon； ashore；
and a ship riding at anchor in the offing；this is merely odd； but when
one sees the same cannon and the same ship in fourteen pictures in a row；
and a different mechanic standing watch in each； the thing gets to be
funny。
〃Explainexplain these aberrations；〃 said Tracy。
〃Well； they are not the achievement of a single intellect； a single
talentit takes two to do these miracles。 They are collaborations；
the one artist does the figure； the other the accessories。 The figure…
artist is a German shoemaker with an untaught passion for art； the other
is a simple hearted old Yankee sailor…man whose possibilities are
strictly limited to his ship； his cannon and his patch of petrified sea。
They work these things up from twenty…five…cent tintypes； they get six
dollars apiece for them； and they can grind out a couple a day when they
strike what they call a boostthat is； an inspiration。〃
〃People actually pay money for these calumnies？〃
〃They actually doand quite willingly； too。 And these abortionists
could double their trade and work the women in； if Capt。 Saltmarsh could
whirl a horse in； or a piano； or a guitar； in place of his cannon。 The
fact is； he fatigues the market with that cannon。 Even the male market；
I mean。 These fourteen in the procession are not all satisfied。 One is
an old 〃independent〃 fireman； and he wants an engine in place of the
cannon； another is a mate of a tug； and wants a tug in place of the ship
and so on； and so on。 But the captain can't make a tug that is
deceptive； and a fire engine is many flights beyond his power。〃
〃This is a most extraordinary form of robbery； I never have heard of
anything like it。 It's interesting。〃
〃Yes； and so are the artists。 They are perfectly honest men； and
sincere。 And the old sailor…man is full of sound religion； and is as
devoted a student of the Bible and misquoter of it as you can find
anywhere