"I am glad you wasn't. But when I saw how she stood up to them, and then when her mother——"
"Yes. Um ... yes, I know. Isaac Berry was my friend and his daughter is a fine girl. We'll remember that when we talk about the family, Kendrick.... Whew! Well, I feel better. With you and Elizabeth to handle matters over there, Lobelia's trust will be in good hands. Now I can go to the cemetery in comfort."
He chuckled as if the prospect was humorous. Captain Sears spoke quickly and without considering exactly how the words sounded.
"Indeed you can't," he protested. "Judge Knowles, I'm goin' to need you about every minute of every day from now on."
"Nonsense! You won't need me but a little while, fortunately. And—for that little while, probably—I shall be here and at your disposal. Come in whenever you want to talk matters over. If the doctor or that damned housekeeper try to stop you, hit 'em over the head. Much obliged to you, Cap'n Kendrick. He, he! We'll give friend Egbert a shock when he comes to town.... Oh, he'll come. Some of these days he'll come. Be ready for him, Kendrick, be ready for him."
That evening the captain told Judah of his new position and Judah's reception of the news was not encouraging. Somehow Sears felt that, with the voice of Judah Cahoon was, in this case, speaking the opinion of Bayport.
Judah had been scrubbing the frying-pan. He dropped it in the sink with a tremendous clatter.
"No!" he shouted. "You're jokin', ain't you, Cap'n Sears?"
"It's no joke, Judah."
"My creepin' Henry! You can't mean it. You ain't really, honest to godfreys, cal'latin' to pilot that—that Fair Harbor craft, be you?"