"Why what is it?" she asked. "What is the matter?"
Several began speaking, but Miss Elvira raised a silencing hand.
"We were having our sing," she said. "I say 'we were'. We are not now, because," her eyes turned to and dwelt upon the puzzled face of Captain Sears Kendrick, "we were interrupted."
"Interrupted?" Elizabeth repeated the word.
"Interrupted was what I said. And such interruptions! Captain Kendrick, I presume you are not responsible for the—ahem—manners of your—ahem—friend, or landlord, or cook or whatever he may be, but whoever is responsible for them should be.... But there, listen for yourself."
Warned by the raised Snowden hand, every one, including the captain and Elizabeth, listened. And, from the yard without so loud that the words were plainly understandable although the windows were closed and locked, came the voice of Judah Cahoon, uplifted in song.
"'Whisky is the life of man,
Whisky, Johnny!
Whisky from an old tin can,
Whisky for my Johnny!
"'I drink whisky and my wife drinks gin,
Whisky, Johnny!
The way we drink 'em is a sin,
Whisky for my Johnny!'"
The singer paused, momentarily, and Elvira spoke.
"Of course," she said, "I make no comment upon the lack of common politeness shown by interrupting our evening sing by such—ah—noises as that. But when one considers the morals of the person who chooses such low, disgraceful——"