The captain's jolly face grew serious.
“No, no!” he protested. “Not so bad as that. Dad wouldn't drown anybody, not even a Regular minister. He's a pretty square-built old craft, even though his spiritual chart may be laid out different from yours—and mine.”
“From yours? Why, I supposed—”
“Yes, I know. Well, WHEN I go to meetin', I generally go to the chapel to please father. But when it comes right down to a confession of faith, I'm pretty broad in the beam. Maybe I'd be too broad even for you, Mr. Ellery.”
The minister, who had jumped to the ground, looked up.
“Captain Hammond,” he said, “I'm very glad indeed that I met you. Not alone because you helped me out of a bad scrape; I realize how bad it might have been and that—”
“Shsh! shh! Nothin' at all. Don't be foolish.”
“But I'm glad, too, because I've heard so many good things about you that I was sure you must be worth knowing. I hope you won't believe I went to your father's meeting with any—”
“No, no! Jumpin' Moses, man! I don't find fault with you for that. I understand, I guess.”
“Well, if you don't mind the fact that I am what I am, I'd like to shake hands with you.”