“Maybe you’ve got another fish to fry,” suggested the Captain, wholly untouched by the Elder’s memory picture. “That was the way you done when you wanted us boys to do 230 something for you, and you ain’t got over it with age.”
“I was quite a diplomat in those days, wasn’t I? But we can’t bring them back. No, sir, we can’t. They are––er––gone forever.”
“I ain’t sartin I want to fetch ’em back. Leastwise, that wa’n’t my purpose in coming here to-night. I come over to see you about that mortgage you slipped over on me.”
“Mortgage?”
“Yes, mortgage.”
“Oh! You refer to that little loan I made you some time ago? That was––er––real humor calling it a mortgage.”
“It may be funny to you, but it ain’t to me.”
“I hope that little matter isn’t bothering you.”
“It ain’t, but a feller from the city is. He told me you was intending to take my place.”
“I’m sorry he told you that. I do not know what I should do with it if I had it.”