"Why—why, of course 'tis. I just opened it when I came in."
"Umph! Yes. Well then, hurry up and shut it when you go out. Shut it!"
Emmeline, going, not only shut but slammed the door. The judge smiled grimly.
"Sit down, Kendrick," he commanded once more, panting. "Sit down, I—I'm out of breath. Confound that woman! She seems to think I'm four years old. Ah—ah—whew!"
His exhaustion was so apparent that Sears was alarmed.
"Don't you think, Judge——" he began, but was interrupted.
"Sshh!" ordered Knowles. "Wait.... Wait.... I'll be all right in a minute!"
The captain waited. It took more than a minute, and even then the judge's voice was husky and his sentences broken, but his determination was unshaken.
"I want you to listen to me, Cap'n Kendrick," he said. "I know it sounds crazy, this proposal of mine, but it isn't. How much do you know about this Fair Harbor place; its history and so on?"
Captain Sears explained that his sister had written him some facts concerning it and that recently Judah Cahoon had told him more details. The judge wished to know what Judah had told. When informed he nodded.