“Miss Pipkin, do you mean that the Captain spoke up in meeting?”
“Well, he didn’t exactly talk, but he stopped others from talking, and that’s about the same thing.”
“How?” asked the minister eagerly.
“He kind of made me promise not to tell a 175 soul, but I don’t think he meant you. Anyhow, you should know. You see, he was setting by a window, and some of the boys from your club was on the outside, waiting. He h’isted the window a little so’s to get his hand through. Hank Simpson and some others was at the fire-house, and when Josiah give them beneath the window some sort of signal, they all shouted ‘Fire.’ That was the sign for others scattered round town, and they begun to shout, too. Then, those at the fire-house got the cart out and rung the bells. It was real funny, but don’t tell Josiah I said so, because he was all puffed up last night. He gave his signal just as Mr. Beaver got up to make a motion to have you put out. Things was pretty strong against you after Reverend Mr. Means spoke.”
“Mr. Means!”
“Um-hm. He was there as big as life and sad as Job. He talked so tearful-like that everybody was upset, but they didn’t get to take a vote, and that was a good thing, for there were some there that would have voted against you, being so worked up, who 176 wouldn’t think of it in their right senses. Mr. McGowan, them boys down to the Inn ain’t going to let you go from the town if they can keep you here. Them boys with Josiah got up that fire scare last night.”
“But it was more than a scare, I saw the fire.”
“Course you did. ’Twas old Dan Trelaw’s hen-house that was burned down. The mites was bothering him, and he wanted the insurance to build a better one.”
“He burned his hen-house to collect insurance?”
“That’s what Josiah said.”