“Good-by, captain.”
“Good-by. Er—I say, Mr. Ellery, how things at the parsonage? All well there, are you?”
“Yes.”
“Er—Keziah—Mrs. Coffin, your housekeeper, is she smart?”
“Yes. She's well.”
“That's good. Say, you might tell her good-by for me, if you want to. Tell her I wished her all the luck there was. And—and—just say that there ain't any—well, that her friend—say just that, will you?—her FRIEND said 'twas all right. She'll understand; it's a—a sort of joke between us.”
“Very good, captain; I'll tell her.”
“Much obliged. And just ask her to keep an eye on Grace while I'm gone. Tell her I leave Gracie under her wing. Keziah and me are old chums, in a way, you see.”
“Yes. I'll tell her that, too.”
“And don't forget the 'friend' part. Well, so long.”