Cap'n Amazon came back to the counter and even his momentary silence was impressive. He favored the customer with a long stare.
"Course, 'tain't none o' my business. I was just askin'——"
"You made an int'restin' discovery, then, ma'am," he said. "It ain't any of your business. Me and my niece'll get along pretty average well, I shouldn't wonder. Anything else, ma'am? I see the needle's two cents and the pins two cents a dozen. Six cents in all."
"Well, I run a book with Cap'n Abe. I ain't got no money with me," said the young woman defiantly.
"Le's see; what did you say your name was?" and Cap'n Amazon drew from the cash drawer a long and evidently fully annotated list of customers' names, prepared by Cap'n Abe.
"I'm Mandy Baker—she 'twas Mandy Card."
"Yes. I find you here all right. Your bill o' ladin' seems good.
Good-mornin', ma'am. Call again."
Mandy Baker looked as though she desired to continue the conversation. But there was that in Cap'n Amazon's businesslike manner and speech that impressed Mrs. Baker—as it had Lawford Tapp—that here was a very different person from the easy-going, benign Cap'n Abe. Mandy sniffed, jerked her sunbonnet forward, and departed with her purchases.
Cap'n Amazon's quick eye caught sight of Louise's amused face in the doorway.
"Kind of a sharp craft that," he observed, watching' Mandy cross the road. "Reminds me some o' one o' them Block Island double-enders they built purpose for sword-fishing. When you strike on to a sword-fish you are likely to want to back water 'bout as often as shove ahead. I cal'late this here Mandy Baker is some spry in her maneuvers. And I bet she's got one o' the laziest husbands in this whole town. 'Most always happens that way," concluded the captain, who seemed quite as homely philosophical and observant as his brother.