“It’s going to be a tight squeeze,” said Tomlin, “but I think we’ll make it.”
“Oh, yes,” exclaimed Brooks, “it’s going to be tight all right; but the more the merrier is always my motto.”
While the three conspirators were talking, John Black and his wife and Mary Black appeared as if by appointment. Mary insisted upon joining in the housework, and her deft little fingers rapidly completed the details that had not already been attended to. John Anderson, the school teacher, who had placed Herbert on the path which led to ultimate success, dropped in a little later, and to cap the climax, who should hove into view but Captain Thomas Janson, bluff and hearty and loud-mouthed as ever. He sailed into the room like a whiff of salt air, and his mere presence was refreshing and invigorating. He was handsomely attired for the occasion. He had discarded his ordinary clothing, and wore a handsome blue suit, with brass buttons and gilt stripes on the sleeves, giving him, as one of the other guests slyly remarked, the appearance of a Rear Admiral of the United States Navy. A nautical cap sat jauntily on the Captain’s shock of bushy red hair. He puffed like a porpoise, for he was quite stout now and beginning to feel the effects of age. When he had finally settled himself comfortably in a large chair which had been placed for him at the head of the table, he turned around to the others and cried out in his loudest voice:
“Does the boy know which way the wind blows?”
“No!” came a chorus in reply.
“Good!” he exclaimed; “then it will fall to the lot of old Captain Janson to tell him something about the voyage of life.”
Tomlin looked at his watch at this period. It pointed to high noon. He turned to the Captain:
“Herbert will be here in fifteen or twenty minutes. I guess we had better start. What do you say?”
“Sure,” snorted the old salt.
Without waiting for any further remarks, Tomlin charged out of the front door, and in a few minutes returned, followed by two white aproned and white capped fellows, carrying waiters which contained plates filled with eatables that were smoking hot. When the covers were removed the air was impregnated with an appetizing odor. The two mates, as the Captain insisted upon calling the two waiters, made five or six trips before they finally completed their work to their satisfaction and declared everything all right.