“But ain't you goin' to say one word? 'Twould encourage him so.”
“Good Lord! We don't want to encourage him, do we? If he was takin' to thievin' you wouldn't encourage him in that, would you?”
“Thievin'! Zelotes Snow, you don't mean to say you compare a poet to a THIEF!”
The captain grinned. “No-o, Mother,” he observed drily. “Sometimes a thief can manage to earn a livin' at his job. But there, there, don't feel bad. I'll say somethin' to Al, long's you think I ought to.”
The something was not much, and yet Captain Zelotes really meant it to be kindly and to sound like praise. But praising a thing of which you have precious little understanding and with which you have absolutely no sympathy is a hard job.
“See you had a piece in the Item this week, Al,” observed the captain.
“Why—yes, sir,” said Albert.
“Um-hm. I read it. I don't know much about such things, but they tell me it is pretty good.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Eh? Oh, you're welcome.”